Fate's Manipulation
by CelticFlame
Summary: Summary: What REALLY happened to Lily and James that fateful night? Two lost souls are trying to make their way back to Hogwarts and Harry Potter, but many obstacles stand in their way. Will the Potters get their happily ever after or is this just a cruel
1. Default Chapter

2001

Title: Fate's Manipulation(1/??)

Author:CelticFlame

Author Email:TgrzDlphns@yahoo.com

Category: Solid drama, some angst, some romance

Keywords: James, Lily, return, Harry, Sirius

Rating: PG13-Adult themes and emotions.

Spoilers: Through POA

Summary: What REALLY happened to Lily and James that fateful night? Two lost souls are trying to make their way back to Hogwarts and Harry Potter, but many obstacles stand in their way. Will the Potters get their happily ever after or is this just a cruel manipulation of fate?

Author Notes:

Hello there and welcome to my new story J Yes, this is a James and Lily story, but it is one with quite a few twists. It's nothing like you've ever seen before, or at least I hope so!! If you're looking for an intense plot driven fic that is about Harry's reactions to his parents, his parents' reactions to him and the fallout from that PLUS Harry's usual troubles and travails, then this is the fic for you. Even if you don't like Lily and James fics, please give this one a try!

This is a somewhat AU fic in that the fic takes place before GOF. Spoilers should be assumed for the first three novels, but I go in a totally different direction Grin

Feedback is greatly appreciated and can be sent to [TgrzDlphns@yahoo.com][1] My muse Padfoot is currently pacing around and whining. Your replies will be the food that feeds him. Feed Padfoot today, he's looking a little thin around the muzzle!

DISCLAIMER

This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

I only own Claire, Amanda and Adam Potter and the plot found herein.

London, England

James Potter closed a notebook and sighed heavily. He ran a hand slowly through his unruly hair and reached for his glasses before realizing that he was wearing contact lenses. He hated the little plastic disks, but after misplacing so many pairs of glasses his wife had insisted upon using disposable contacts. Her reasoning was that it was cheaper for him to lose the contacts instead of the glasses. 

As James glanced at a clock he was shocked to see the time. There were so many times where he just got lost in his work. Dinner would be served soon if he was not present, his wife would likely get annoyed and that was just what he didn't need after an arduous day of work. He glanced around the stone tower for a moment. It was so easy to remember in this place, with it's stone walls and classically styled furnishings. Perhaps, it was why he chose this place as his home.

"Papa?" James' head shot up suddenly. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he had not even heard the door open. He smiled at the two children that stood before him.

"Hello there Amanda, Adam." He reached down to pull both of the children close. As he touched them, he could not hide the feeling of loss that suffused every pore of his body. He may have had to move on but he would never forget….

"You worked hard today." The six year old boy gave his father a sunny smile. "Mummy wants to eat now."

James ruffled the little boy's hair. "I lost track of time again. How was school? Did you both have a good day?" He directed this question to the eleven year old standing next to her brother.

"We had a great day. Our teacher read to us in the free period. Mummy bought the books so that we can all read them together. They're about magic and wizards and good people and bad people and…"

James favored his children with a sad smile. What a travesty for them to be in a world where no magic existed, where everyone was relegated to a life much duller.

"That sounds great." He gave the children a small smile. "Maybe I can read along with you."

"You will." His children chorused. James allowed them to lead him downstairs into a life much different from the one that he could only remember wistfully.

"Hello dear." James stood stiffly as his blond wife gave him a gentle hug. "Did you have a tough day, luv? Dinner is ready. Children go wash up." As the children scampered off, the blond leaned in closer. "James? You seem as if you are a million miles away."

He blinked a few times and focused in on the woman. "Claire." His voice was even, though emotion barely touched his flat tone. As she stood close, James could hardly control himself; all instincts were telling him to push her out of his personal space. Swiftly, he realized that she would not step away until he responded to her embrace, so his arms came up mechanically to hug her. She looked quizzically at him and he realized that she was waiting for an answer. "I'm all right. Just a bloody long day." He hoped that she would accept his excuse; lying to her held little appeal and any further prodding would easily lead to stony silence.

"Well then." His wife spoke in a tone that conveyed her disappointment in his lack of attentiveness. "We're to begin a family project today. The children have picked out some books that they are very excited to read. I thought that we could all read them together." 

James sighed, preparing to speak. He arched an eyebrow when his wife put up a hand to stay any protestations that he was forming.

"Do not even consider saying that you cannot do this, James. You work far too hard. You've changed and I don't much like it. You used to be happy go lucky and full of mischief. You used to be involved in all our activities. I hate that you're retreating and I know that work is just your excuse."

"I don't want to argue…" James began.

"Good, then don't." his wife replied crisply. 

As she walked off to see to their meal, he stood contemplating his circumstances. Guilt was tearing him apart. Claire wasn't a bad woman and he hated distancing himself from her, but he couldn't live a lie anymore. 

Perhaps he had never loved her in the traditional sense. In the darkest of days after he found himself in a world that he did not yet understand, James had met Claire. He had been attracted to her as a friend and they had married after a yearlong courtship. James has always known that she had fallen madly and passionately in love with him, but he had been in too much emotional distress to give his heart over to anyone. His heart had and always would be property of Lily. Anything less would be a betrayal of the worst sort and in those darkest of early days, James had not been prepared to offer over anything of himself. His part in the marriage had been a panicked gasp for security and friendship, for support in a world turned upside down.

How else was he supposed to cope in this new world? He had gone from being a husband and a father, from being comfortable as a wizard to a very different existence. There was no place for magic in this world and indeed, James had been stripped of his powers that horrible night so many years ago. He had no job skills, no friends and family in this realm and needed to rely on his charm, looks and wit to survive.

Those qualities had brought him far. He was in a comfortable though not romantic marriage. He had two wonderful children, a great home that reminded him so much of his other life, and a job writing concepts for a leading computer game company. He enjoyed stretching his creative mind and combining a world that he knew with the one that was still sometimes a confusing and overwhelming place.

He rocked back on his heels as his wife beckoned him for dinner. The meal looked succulent and the children were happily eating. Before being seated, he reached out and wound an arm around his wife's waist. "I love you, do you know that?" Though his voice was low, warmth and affection had finally entered his tone.

Claire gave him a gentle smile and ran a hand through his hair. "I love you too, James and I'm content with what we have." Her smile faded just slightly. "Even if I did love you differently from the way you love me."

James gently pulled her into the living room. "We might as well have a chat now, then." He settled her down in an easy chair and knelt beside her. "Claire never doubt that I adore you. You are my best friend, the mother of my children, my rescuer so long ago." 

She brushed a hand along his cheek. "Don't apologize. I know that you were never in love with me. It is enough that you have been my husband and a wonderful friend and father to our children. Please James, no regrets. I love you darling, but my heart isn't yours anymore."

James gave her a long look. He wasn't sure if relief or guilt was the prevalent emotion. "But you never looked outside our marriage for solace?" He asked this question knowing the answer.

"I never needed to." Claire pointed out gently. "You are everything to me, James. Though we are not physically intimate you meet every need as my friend and husband. And I am happy this way." When he looked unconvinced. she stroked a hand along his jawline. "I really am, James. If someday that changes, I will seek a divorce, but right now, I am happy as we stand." She glanced toward the kitchen. "Now that we're settled and adjusted with this, shall we eat? The children are so very excited about reading these books tonight. I have never seen them so taken with a book series before."

James nodded. "I am adjusting." He stood and offered his hand to her. Their brief chat had somehow broken down the barriers against him touching her and had pushed some of the guilt back. He considered his wife's comment about the books. "With two readers for parents they have been slow to develop. What is the name of this series?"

Claire tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Something or other. I don't recall right now, but it's about a little wizard and he's little wizard friends. It sounds cute."

"Cute." James echoed sadly. Once upon a time that had been his life. 

~*~

Another place entirely

Hogwarts

"So what have you found?" The older man with the long white beard and hair looked at the large dog and two men in front of him.

"Is the door locked, sir?" The less severe looking of the men asked quickly.

"Yes it is. Sirius you are safe here." Professor Dumbledore couldn't hide his smile as the dog quickly became a man. "So what news do you have for me?"

The three men shifted uncomfortably and looked at each other. As the silence extended, a dramatic sigh could be heard from the man behind the large wooden desk. "Severus, you first then. Have you news of Lily's fate?"

The severe looking man sank onto a velvet-upholstered couch. "Shouldn't Professor McGonagall be present as well?"

"Don't worry about that Severus. She is working on something for me and I will be certain to inform her of what has transpired here. Now onto the news please."

He looked around at the men he neither liked nor respected until his gaze fell upon the headmaster that had helped him many a time. "I have indeed found her. She is in a small wizarding village just outside of Birmingham. She has had a memory charm placed upon her and works as a bit of a glorified nanny. The charm should be removed easily once we have her back here."

"Is she being hurt in any way?" The tall black haired man couldn't hold his tongue as he turned to look at Severus.

"No, it doesn't appear so. She is free to come and go with little difficulty. I can bring her back here immediately if you like."

Dumbledore nodded sagely and stroked his beard. "Shall we finish the meeting and get the information before we frighten the poor woman?" He paused, blue eyes twinkling as he pondered the joyousness of this day. "So all we need to do is to find James, then. Remus, Sirius, have you had any luck there?"

The two men shook their heads in unison. "We have tried everything and he is just not to be found. Are you sure that he's alive professor?"  


Dumbledore nodded. "He is out there somewhere." He stared out into the early evening sky for a long moment, a mist covering the brilliant blue of his eyes. "We will find him. We simply must." His voice was low, yet heartfelt. After a few pensive moments, he turned to the men that awaited his advising words. 

"Severus, please collect Lily Potter for me. We have the enchanted cottage ready for her. As soon as she arrives here, I will send an owl for you Remus, Sirius. I must stress to all of you that your problems remain between you all and must not impact Lily at all. She must not be stressed. The same goes for James and…" He trailed off and looked Severus deeply in the eyes. "Harry must not be told until the time is right. There will be severe consequences if word slips out accidentally. I trust that your will heed my words, Severus?" 

Snape met his steely gaze. "Yes sir."

"Remus, Sirius, please take heart. We will locate James. Keep working on it until I summon you again." All three men nodded as the man waved his hand and chanted a few ancient words.

As Snape rushed off on one direction Sirius again resumed his dog form. Remus didn't speak until they were at his small home a short distance from the castle. He set to brewing some tea while his friend resumed a more human form.

"Can it really be true?" Remus' hand shook as he put the kettle on the warm coals. "Can James really be alive? And Lily…. I can't quite accept that she's coming home now."

"I know." Sirius replied with a small sigh. "What do we tell her about James. That he was thought dead but now he's just lost? We have to find him. For Lily, for Harry…."

"And for ourselves too." Remus finished, slipping a steaming mug into his friend's hands. "There has been a hole in…us since that horrible night."

Sirius leaned back against the wall and nodded. "But how could there be anything else? One friend of a group of five betrays the rest and Lily and James were taken from us. Even if he hadn't succeeded in his betrayal, everything would have changed that night. We went from trusting each other and working as a team to…."

"To this. I know. We lost a part of our innocence that night and we can never regain that. James and Lily being alive won't make that disappear. It still means that they were taken away from their infant son when he needed them the most. It means that you were taken from Harry when he needed you the most and that you were imprisoned for a crime that you didn't commit. It still means that we have a lot of healing and mending to do."

Sirius sipped his tea slowly and regarded his friend. Remus and he had swiftly grown closer as the truth had come out. They were a team now, as close as brothers were, bonded together by their love care and respect for the Potters. "We can't fix it all, my friend. The Marauders may rise again but it will be different. We can't give Harry and his parents all the years together that they missed. We just have to help them all to get through and beyond all the hurt."

Remus settled down next to his friend and regarded his tea in silence for a few long moments. "And we're strong enough to do this? We're strong enough to be there for them instead of getting Pettigrew and ripping him to shreds. We're strong enough to focus on what they have now instead of what was taken from them?"

Sirius patted his friend's shoulder gently. "We have to be. Sometimes friendship tests the bounds of our wants and needs. I need vengeance as well, old friend, but I feel that we should wait for James. Bide our time, then we'll kill the little rat. Wormtail has a lot to answer for." He shook his head back and forth a couple of times. "Come on then. This is getting us nowhere. Let's try to find a spell that will tell us where James is. The rest will come later."

~*~

James Potter house

London

James had eaten his dinner in silence. For some reason he couldn't resist the lure of the past and even as he ate, he mentally compared the food of this place with the food that he had consumed at Hogwarts and elsewhere in his wizarding life. While Claire was an incredible cook, the food tasted barely palatable. James consumed only a few bites before pushing his plate away.

"Not hungry?" James focused in on his wife. 

"It was great, " he managed. "But I'm full already."

Claire looked unconvinced but accepted his excuse. "All right then. I'll clean up while the children change into their pajamas. We'll start reading those books when they come downstairs."  


James had forgotten about the reading session with his children and sighed inwardly, feeling guilty about doing so. He was at the most vital part of the plotline for the company's new computer game. In truth, he also wanted to reason out his memories. He couldn't very well do so while listening to his wife reading some insipid story about phony wizards.

"All right." He said evenly. "I'll wait in the family room." His patience was gone for the night but he wouldn't argue the point with Claire. He sank down onto the overstuffed sofa and wondered where his patience had gone. His children were wonderful people, so why was he uninterested in spending any time with them? Was it because they reminded him of what he had lost when he lost Harry? Was he rejecting them as much as he had Claire? When had he become such a bastard?

"Papa, we're ready!" A small boy sized missile launched itself onto James' lap. Adam wriggled until he found the proper position and grabbed a fuzzy blanket from its folded position. "Cuddle time. Reading time!"

The ice surrounding James' heart melted as he watched his son's antics. "All right then. As soon as your mother and sister get here we'll read, but you have to promise me something."

Adam looked solemnly into his father's eyes. "What papa?"

"You have to stay awake until we finish for tonight. Can you do that?" When Adam nodded eagerly James found himself chuckling.

"We're here daddy." Amanda was tugging a battered pink blanket behind her. "And so is Mr. Blankie. He wants to hear all about Harry Potter too. Daddy do you think we're related to Harry Potter?"

James could barely breathe as he absorbed his daughter's words. She couldn't have said what he thought she had. "Let me see those books." James said in a strangely tense voice. Adam slid gently to the floor as he leapt up and scanned the cover. 

The train there…it was the Hogwarts Express. He blindly reached for the assorted paperbacks and hardbacks until he saw what he had feared. The young boy in the car in one book shared a passing resemblance to James at that age. He read the back of the books as his panic grew. "Oh no, how…." He crumbled back down on the couch and looked at his shocked family. "How…." He asked again.

  
"How what James?" Claire asked in a concerned tone of voice.

"I…." James tried to regain his composure for some long moments then just shook his head. How could he explain this? "Nothing." 

"If you say so." Claire looked at his suspiciously then settled at the other end of the sofa. Amanda cuddled up next to her, but Adam returned to James' lap.

"Are we ready to read then?" The children chorused their assent and Claire began reading about a world that James knew all too well.

~*~

Enchanted Cottage 

Hogwarts grounds

Sirius and Remus arrived at the cottage just after finishing their tea. They had originally been content to wait for further instructions from Dumbledore and McGonagall, but the as if propelled by some unknown force, had been quite anxious to beat Lily and Snape to the cottage.

"We're doing the right thing, aren't we?" Remus asked quietly. The cottage was only visible to the few that Dumbledore had charmed while in his office. He knocked timidly, then when there was no immediate answer, he pushed the door open.

"Oh it would be you." The severe countenance of Minerva McGonagall came into view. She was sitting in a rocking chair and looked to be deep in thought. "Did Professor Dumbledore send for you already?"

"No." The tip of Sirius's ears glowed bright red. "We just couldn't wait back there. James and Lily meant so much to us. We just wanted to be here."

Her expression softened just slightly at Sirius' declaration. It didn't require much energy to remember how this man had been such a loyal friend to the Potters and he did have every right to witness Lily's homecoming. "Have you any leads on James' whereabouts yet?"

Remus shook his head. "Not yet. We have tried everything."

"And Dumbledore is sure that he's alive?" She spoke to the men in a quieter manner. When they nodded, she seemed to gather herself. "Lily will be here soon. Maybe she can shed some light on all of this. If not, fear not, we'll locate him somehow."

Both men nodded. They didn't dare speak as a sense of apprehension stole over them. Lily and Snape's arrival was imminent. Sirius moved from foot to foot anxiously while Remus paced. 

"Hello gentleman. I am entirely unsurprised to see you here." Dumbledore moved into the room slowly, nodding at Minerva. "I have just received a special dispensation from the Ministry of Magic to reverse the memory charm on Lily. There is no guarantee that it will work or that she will regain her memories. You do all understand this."

Sirius and Remus looked at each other uneasily. They had been unwilling to deal with this fact and with a significant look, they both decided to ignore this possibility. "We do" Remus finally replied.

"Very well then." The headmaster wasn't fooled by the pair's looks, but resolved that they had to deal with the consequences of their denials themselves.

A hush came over the room as they strained to hear two voices. Dumbledore pressed his face to the glass and was soon joined by Sirius Remus and Minerva. They watched Snape land his broomstick with a gentle touch. He reached for the stunning redhead's hand and led her to the enchanted cottage. 

"She's still as beautiful as the last time we saw her." Sirius whispered. 

As they approached the door, everyone in the cottage could see the confusion and strain evident in the lines that surrounded Lily's eyes and mouth. "Remember to give her room." Dumbledore advised gently.

"Hello." Severus Snape called as he opened the door. The four people inside tried in vain to act as if they had not been watching every movement. He led Lily to the comfortable bed. "Why don't you sit here?" His gentle tone was an interesting counterpoint to his normal voice.

"Hello, my dear." Albus Dumbledore approached the stunning redhead. "My name is…"

"I know who you are." The woman replied. Though her voice was hesitant it held a tone of certainty. You're professors Dumbledore and McGonagall. The man who brought me here is Severus Snape and those two ccowering in the corner must be our dear friends Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Now, where are James and Harry? I would like to see them immediately."

   [1]: mailto:TgrzDlphns@yahoo.com



	2. Ch 2 Remembering

Chapter 2

A/N:

Hello! Thanks so much for your wonderful replies and feedback! It was wonderful to have so many of you respond to an utterly unknown author. I hope that you'll continue to enjoy this story as well as Pure Magic and all of my future projects grin

Yes Harry IS in this chapter and will be a driving force for the rest of the fic. So, what do you think….should James stay in London with his family, should they ALL make their way to Hogwarts or what?

Feedback is greatly appreciated and can be sent to TgrzDlphns@yahoo.com My muse Padfoot is in a blind panic over the end of summer. Your replies will send him sunshine and warmth and help me to get him back to work. Comfort Padfoot today, muse panic attacks are NO fun!

Mucho thanks to Mark for editing and bouncing ideas back and forth! 

Thanks for reading!

Bree(AKA CelticFlame)

DISCLAIMER  
This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
I only own Claire, Amanda and Adam Potter and the plot found herein.

Chapter 2

London

The Place of No Magic

Torture. It was torture for James to hear about his son's life with Petunia and Vernon. He had never liked the pompous overblown couple. While Lily had been a free spirit, light and airy with a wicked sense of humor and a love of fun and good times, Petunia was harsh severe and unyielding. She had always disapproved greatly of Lily's foray into Hogwarts and the Dursleys viewed her life beyond school as an unfortunate incident. James could just picture their rotund offspring as his wife read from the book. Alternately grieving what he had lost and battling red-hot fury, James was only controlled by the fact that he held his younger son child on his lap. He was determined to remain calm and not scare the boy. 

James' torture was short-lived as both his son and daughter started slumping against their parents after a half-hour of reading. 

"Help me get them to bed, James?" Claire asked. James almost jumped up; the voice he had been expecting to hear was Lily's and she didn't exist here.

"Sure." His voice dull, he scooped up the sleeping boy and followed Claire and a sleepy Amanda upstairs. On his way out, he grabbed the first of the books about his firstborn. 

The sleepy children settled in their bunk beds without any trouble and soon Claire and James were closing the bedroom door. Claire studied her husband for a moment. Things had seemed so much better before dinner, but now James wore the protective armor that kept him distanced from her. She winced, and sighed. Her faith in the marriage was fading by the day and their understanding only seemed to be a brief reprieve. 

Claire studied her husband's strong jawed profile for an extra moment. He was fingering the book absently though his eyes were trained on the ceiling. She followed his gaze up, spying the luminous glow in the dark constellations that James had insisted upon adding when they had purchased the house.

"What are you thinking about?" She reached over to touch his jaw and was stung when he pulled away the minute her hand brushed his flesh. There it was again, the rejection that had been as big a part of the marriage as she and her husband. He couldn't even pretend that her touch pleased him.

James flushed with guilt at his knee jerk reaction. Why was being with Claire such a betrayal to Lily in his mind? She was a part of his past; he didn't even think she was alive. If so, she likely thought him dead and had moved on herself. "I was thinking…." His voice trembled; indeed his whole body was shaking. "About another place, another time. I just need to piece some things together, Claire. I'll see you later." He clenched the book in a bruising grip as he climbed the stairs to his tower office.

"And another woman." Claire added quietly. She didn't even try to hide the glistening tear that danced slowly down her cheek. She couldn't keep reaching out to him only to be pushed away. It wasn't fair to either of them.

James sank down into an overstuffed chair that faced a small window. His eyes were focused on the modern London skyline both staring at and past it. His mind was full of questions about himself, his families, their fates and he longed to read the book that he clutched, but after hearing about the Dursley's mistreatment of his son James wondered if he was ready for the truth. "Why did he go to live with those evil people? Even if Voldemort got Lily, we had Sirius to watch after Harry."

Emotion overcame James, and after a moment of resistance, he rested his head in his hands and sobbed for all that he had lost. There would be time later for coping. Now, he just wanted the sweet happy release of his salty tears.

Claire wiped angrily at the delicate tearstain that marred her cheek before gathering herself and marching up to James' office. He did owe her some explanation for the radical mood swings. As she prepared to knock on the heavy wooden door, she heard a small whimpering sound coming from within. It took scant seconds to realize that her husband was crying. Guilt stabbed Claire and she lowered her hand. Her husband was in significant emotional pain. There would someday be an explanation for his behavior. "Goodnight James." She whispered to the closed door. "May you find peace, darling."

~*~

Enchanted Cottage

Lily Potter looked around the interior of the small cottage and tapped her foot impatiently. The five faces that stared back at her wore various expressions of incredulity. She bit her lip for a moment before speaking again. "Can you please tell me where James and Harry are? I need to see them." Her voice turned tumultuous, uncertain, as no one immediately spoke.

"Lily…?" The low sandpaper voice of Sirius Black broke the pregnant silence of the cottage. He moved close to her and sank down to one knee, smoothly moving Snape further away. The man had been eyeing James' wife quite possessively and Sirius would not stand for it.

Their eyes met slowly and then with a soft cry, she wrapped her arms around the thin man. He squeezed her hard, then released her abruptly. "Did I hurt you?" His tone was urgent and she shook her head. 

"Please, I beg you. Tell me where your best friend and godson are. I need them Sirius. So much time has passed…" A fine film of pearly tears covered Lily's emerald gaze and they escaped one by one to slowly glide down the graceful curves of her face.

Sirius glanced back at Dumbledore and McGonagall for some sign or advice. Both looked misty eyed, but encouraged him to go on. He wasn't sure that he was the man to tell her, despite his relationship with James and Harry. As he turned back to Lily, her expression of anguish pierced him to the core.

"Lily," He began again. He sat next to her on the bed and pulled her against him snugly, yet with a gentle touch that he had forgotten in his earlier embrace of her. "Harry is just fine. He's a student here at Hogwarts. He's doing really well here."  


She nodded. "And James. Where is he? Please tell me he didn't die all those years ago…."

Sirius looked at the ground then met her eyes. "We honestly don't know. We think he may be out there as well, but we haven't found him."

With a deep shuddering breath, Lily turned to Dumbledore.

"You, you were always so close to James. Where is he Professor Dumbledore? Where is my husband?"

Dumbledore moved closer to the bed and embraced her quickly. "My dear, it is so good to see you." He began in a tone of warmth, which quickly dissolved into a serious one as he addressed her predicament. "Sirius and Remus have been trying to find James. We feel that he is alive, that he is out there someplace. We will step up our efforts immediately. Do you feel any sense of him?"

Lily considered the words. "It doesn't feel as if he is gone entirely. I still feel him. Perhaps after losing all those years the connection between us is gone or perhaps I feel Harry instead."

"It's not just Harry, Lily." Remus finally spoke up. "You both had that magic between you. It can't be gone. Sirius and I will find James wherever he is. I vow that to you."

Lily nodded slowly. "Please, he's the other half of my heart…." She swiped at her eyes before addressing the rest of the room. " I want to see Harry, please. And I know all of you have some questions for me."

~*~

Gryffindor Common Room

"I'm going to beat you at chess this time, Potter. A chocolate frog for the winner." Ron Weasley paused as he looked for an errant chess piece. "Here's that pawn. He always tries to get away from me." The small chess piece hitched up his tunic and gave Ron a dirty look as he was placed on the chessboard.

Harry Potter laughed lightly as he set up his men at the opposite end of the board. He and Ron had been playing chess every night for weeks now. Harry hadn't learned the intricacies of the game until coming to Hogwarts and found the nightly practice was a good way to hone his skills. It was also a good break from doing homework. Harry glanced over to a small table where Hermione and Ginny were studiously bent over a piece of parchment. 

Ron followed Harry's gaze and shook his head. "Some days it would kill Hermione to have some fun."

"I heard that!" Hermione's head snapped up and she watched as Ron's pawns slowly made their way under the table. "Some of us have to get good grades." She sniffed. 

"Well I don't care about my grades right now." Ginny announced. She nudged Hermione. "Come on, let's see if Ron trounces Harry again."

Hermione laughed but obligingly moved in closer. "Maybe if Ron doesn't find his pawns, Harry will actually have a shot at winning."

Ron looked confused for a moment. "They've escaped again. Man all battle stations!" He looked aghast as his sister and two best friends burst into giggles. "Well…they have." He dived under the table to capture the errant chess pieces before they made their escape total and irrevocable.

As the laughter died away, only Harry remained standing in the same position, an expression of half laughter frozen into his features.

"Harry?" Hermione pushed his shoulder gently. "Harry!' Alarm had entered her expression and alerted the Weasleys that something was amiss. "Harry come on you're scaring us!"

Hermione's sharp tone had Harry blinking. "I just…." He sank to the ground, holding his head in both hands.

"What is it?" Ron abandoned the chessmen to move to Harry's side. "Is your scar hurting again? Because if it is…"  


"Its not." Harry whispered quietly. "I just saw something…."

Hermione, Ron and Ginny all moved closer, surrounding Harry in a circle that offered warmth security and privacy. "What did you see?" Ginny asked in a whisper.

"I…" Harry hesitated, wondering if he should share such a private vision with them. Finally deciding that he needed to confide in his friends, he began speaking when it happened again.

"I saw…I see…." He desperately sucked air in. "A man…. he looks just like me…. he's in a room…. he's crying."

Hermione rubbed Harry's shoulder gently. She had a feeling deep in her soul that whatever Harry was seeing was significant. She would have to check her books and see if they offered any answers.

Harry's eyes fixed upon each of his friends in turn. "Why is this happening and what does it mean?"

~*~

After a few self-pitying moments, James raised his head from his hands. He had so many questions that needed to be answered and so much to do. He fingered the books, hungry to learn

about Harry's life, yet fearful of what he might find. How could he sit idly by and read of his son's trials in life, knowing that he should have been there.

Maybe there was a way to get back….

James strode to a small safe and dialed the combination. His small sound of satisfaction echoed as he pulled out a small parcel wrapped in green velvet. He moved back to his chair and unwrapped the parcel with careful hands. There it was…. the tool that would bring him home.

James lifted his wand and smiled when he felt a slight tingle tickle his fingertips. He hadn't felt the pull of magic in so long that he wondered on occasion if he had imagined his former life. Moving his hand, James was pleased to see that his wand was still pliable. Even the mahogany wood still gleamed. 

He whispered a few words that he knew by heart to begin. When nothing happened, James frowned. "Lumos," he said, trying a different tack, hoping that his wand would show him some light. When nothing happened again, he cursed quietly. He had allowed himself to be fooled by a wand that wasn't magic at all. 

It was suddenly all too much for James. "Who am I? Where do I belong?" He spoke in a heartbroken tone. "Have I somehow imagined Lily and the rest? Am I just a very sick man who created a world of magic based upon a long forgotten children's book?"

~*~

  
"Why don't you rest Lily." Minerva McGonagall suggested gently. "We can get you come food then when you've rested for a short while we will summon Harry. He's only as far as the castle and can be here in a few moments." 

Lily didn't seem to like this idea in the least bit, but she slowly nodded. "All right. I am hungry."  


Dumbledore rubbed Lily's arm affectionately. "I have already arranged for some food from the kitchens. Professor Snape would you be so kind as to collect it for us. Only those in this room have access to the cottage."

Snape stepped closer and gave Lily a gentle smile and Sirius a furious look. "Certainly Professor. Is there anything else you desire Lily?"  


Remus and Sirius could only roll their eyes at Snape's oily manner. Lily however, was not responsive to Snape's advances. "Only my husband, Severus." Her eyes took on a sad faraway look. "But thank you anyway. I am hungry and would very much like some dinner."

Snape turned on his heel without another word. The enchanted cottage door banged shut, almost hiding Sirius' sardonic chuckle. "You told him, Lily."

"It is merely the truth." She replied quietly, brushing his too long hair back from his forehead. "You look so tired and drawn. Is it true then? We're you accused of our murders? Did they send you to Azkaban?"

Sirius nodded. "I would have never betrayed you, Lily. Someone else was responsible. It was Wormtail." He fairly growled the last word.

Lily leaned back as if physically hit. "How could he have done this. I didn't know…. but yes it had to have been him. He was our Secret Keeper." She verbally reasoned things out. "He was our friend….why?"

Albus Dumbledore sighed heavily. "Sometimes the lure of the dark side and the power found therein is the ultimate goal, my dear. Peter was willing to lose everything and to condemn you, James, and Harry to death. How fortunate that it appears that he did not succeed." He paused for a long moment. "Now tell me how you removed that memory charm that had been placed on you?"

Lily blinked a few times. "I just don't know, Professor. I never knew who I was and I don't think that the family that took me in knew me either. When Severus told me that we were old friends I believed him because I had no reason to know otherwise. Yet when we were flying here all of a sudden my mind cleared and I knew my name, I remembered all of you and all the events of my past as well as my present."

"Hmmm." Dumbledore said quietly. He quietly excused himself to confer with Minerva McGonagall then began scribbling on a piece of parchment.

Lupin settled on the bed on the opposite side of Lily and embraced her warmly. "We missed you and James so much. Nothing has been right since that night."

"I know." Lily stroked his hair gently. "How could it be? Only when we're whole again can we begin to move onward. Now, tell me about my son. Is he a rogue like James was…" she blanched. "Like James is."

~*~

"Oh Harry." Ginny frowned. "You're ok, really! Do you have any idea who the man is?"

Harry thought deeply about that. A smile slowly formed upon his face. "I think maybe I knew the man. He just seems familiar and somehow comforting to me and I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe I need a better view of him or something." He trailed off and then shrugged apologetically. "I just can't conjure up who he is."

"Who was he?" Hermione prodded. "Think Harry, think really hard about it. Come on Harry. I have a feeling about this."

Harry nodded and obediently closed his eyes. He concentrated on the memory of the image when suddenly another one came to him. He watched a beautiful redhead with stunning green eyes sitting on a bed talking to some men and touching them very affectionately. There wasn't any romance to this vision, but Harry could almost feel the warmth coming from her. As he strained, he could almost make out the figures that surrounded her when the vision dissolved to show a man with a magic wand. The man was trying desperately or so it seemed to create a spell, but was unsuccessful. His frustration growing with every failed spell, he started cursing and flinging books around. Harry had to smile when he saw one had the Hogwart's Express adorning the cover of it. As the vision progressed, the man went from frustrated and angry to mournful and anguished and Harry shook his head, trying to rid himself of the conflicting emotions that this image arose in him. Just then, the man looked up and the vision faded. Harry gasped and ran toward his dormitory.

"Harry?" Ron yelled. The three friends all shrugged and ran after Harry. "I'm getting really worried about him. I hope St. Mungo's has a room ready." Ron muttered as they clattered up the stairs. They found him in his room, holding up a picture and staring at it in deep concentration.

"Harry what is it?" Ginny sat next to him and looked at the two people waving in the picture. The picture obviously meant a lot to Harry; he was holding the picture delicately and almost reverently.

"These are the people I saw. These are my parents, but they looked older, like they would now, not like they did here at their wedding. What do you think it means?"

Hermione handed Harry a piece of parchment and a quill. "Why don't you write someone and ask if they have any ideas? I'll go to the owlry and get it sent for you." She kept her gaze riveted on Harry. This was nonstandard behavior, even for him.

Harry took the quill and parchment and chewed his lower lip slowly. "I'll write Sirius. Since he knew my parents so well, maybe he'll have some insight for me on what all of it means. I'm starting to really need answers here." He scrawled a note and handed it to Hermione. "Can you have Hedwig get this to Sirius for me. Maybe he can tell me why I'm having waking visions of my parents."

~*~

Sirius and Remus looked at each other and shared a smile. "Harry is about as adventurous as James, but he manages to stay ahead of trouble." Sirius began. "He has James' charm and your brains and those together are a perfect combination."

Lily leaned even closer. "Tell me about him please."

Sirius grinned and pulled out a slightly tattered piece of paper. "I'll do you one better, Lily. Here is a picture of him, with his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."

Lily fingered the photograph and stroked her son's face. "He resembles James so much. The scar." Her finger traced the lightning bolt slowly. "He got this that night didn't he?" She glanced up to see Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall at the door, preparing to send a missive to someone. Lily hoped that it would solve some of the mysteries surrounding her family.

Remus nodded and looked away. "It's a mark that makes him feel quite awkward, but I hope that one day he'll view it as a badge of courage."

Sirius cleared his throat. "Speaking of that night how did you and James…" he trailed off awkwardly. "We all thought….. how did you…."

Lily sensed his discomfort and patted his arm gently. "I don't know. Perhaps that is a question James can answer or maybe Profess…" She faltered as a snowy while owl sailed in the open door and alighted on Sirius' shoulder. "You've got a letter." She observed. Her train of thought was gone, replace with a hope that the letter contained information from Harry.

"That's Harry's owl." Remus confirmed in answer to Lily's unspoken question. "What does he have to say?"

Sirius opened the parchment and began reading. "Sirius, I need to see you. I'm having some visions of my parents. Well, not them but what they would be like today. Can I talk to you about it? Harry." He let out a long breath of air. "Lily, I think that it's time for you to see Harry."

  



	3. Nearing Synchronicity

Fm3

Title: Fate's Manipulation(3/??)

Author:CelticFlame

Author Email:TgrzDlphns@yahoo.com

Category: Solid drama, some angst, some romance

Keywords: James, Lily, return, Harry, Sirius

Rating: PG13-Adult themes and emotions.

Spoilers: Through POA

Summary: What REALLY happened to Lily and James that fateful night? Two lost souls are trying to make their way back to Hogwarts and Harry Potter, but many obstacles stand in their way. Will the Potters get their happily ever after or is this just a cruel manipulation of fate?

DISCLAIMER

This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

I only own Claire, Amanda and Adam Potter and the plot found herein.

Hi there!

Goodness it's been awhile since I last posted! A trip to LA had me home a scant half dozen hours before the Sept 11 tragedies. I live only a couple of miles away from the Pentagon and was ON flight 77 on my outbound flight a week earlier L 

Obviously in the face of such a tragedy, fic writing took a backseat. I apologize for the delay.

Thanks so much for the wonderful replies to the fic thusfar. You have made me smile and inspired me! I cherish all of your thoughts, so please don't hesitate to tell me what you think!

Special thanks to Mark for being my editor, my sounding board, and so much more!

Back chapters can be found at http://www.schnoogle.com/authorLinks/CelticFlame/

Please email me if you'd like to be notified about upcoming chapters!

Replies feed my muse, Padfoot. His only fun these days is frolicking in the Autumn mist and waiting for the leaves to turn. Help me entertain him with your replies. A bored muse is NO fun-Save me!

Thanks for reading! Can't wait to hear what you think of this!

Bree

If you like this story please check out my other stories, Pure Magic at [http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=story-read&storyid=381323][1] ands Toys at http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=story-read&storyid=407246

Special note: while Portkeys may or may not work in Hogwarts when the school campus is at full strength, I have chosen to believe that they would. Any inconsistencies derived from this can be chalked up to artistic license.

Chapter 3-Nearing Synchronicity

James stared at his wand for some long silent moments. His mind churned, his stomach clenched as he tried to deny the truth of the facts before him. Somehow he must have imagined a life for himself. Somehow he must have invented a past based upon a children's book. The world of his Muggle children had always seemed a much safer place and the simpler lifestyle certainly suited him. Without the tangle that his personal relationships had become, perhaps James too could be free again, free to discover his true identity. 

Even as James tried to convince himself of this reality, he quickly dismissed it. Upon opening the first book in the series, he fully expected the copyright information to read from twenty or more years ago and was surprised to find a very recent copyright date. "Well there." His sense of relief filled the room. "I didn't really think…" he trailed off. He had thought that he imagined things for one brief wild moment. There could be no denying that fact. His thoughts were running at breakneck speed and he didn't know where to turn next.

"So what do I do?" James reasoned that by talking things out he might come to some resolution about his life. This whole situation was so absurd. Hogwarts existed…. and he had a son named Harry. The rest of it…he shook his head. It was something that James wanted to experience and hear from his son's ears. He would not be a casual observer in his son's life, a voyeuristic reader. Not if he could help it! Even though a large part of him felt foolish, he continued to talk out loud in an informal tone.

James stroked the cover of one of the books gently. His son looked so very much like him! Even the cartoon drawing depicted Harry's brilliant green eyes. James could just picture his boy now. Harry would be tall and rangy, his shock of dark hair a counterpoint to the brilliant green of his eyes. Those living emeralds were Lily's legacy to Harry and they had been his most striking feature even as a baby. 

"Harry." Helplessness was inflaming James' state of mind at the moment. He had always been in control as a boy; had always been the leader of his ragtag band of brothers. Unused to sitting back and letting things happen, this situation was a stern education for James Potter and he knew on sight that he detested observing from the sidelines. "Dammit I'm a man of action not some…. some …. " A furious hand slash rent the air and a shower of sparks burst forth from his wand. "Muggle." James finished weakly.

A reverent gaze focused upon his wand and he clutched it close. Holding the pliable piece of wood was comforting to him, it was a security blanket, a reminder of a magical time, a link to the James Potter of old. 

Even and slow breathing stilled his racing heartbeat. "Lumos."

There it was! The tiniest ember of a glow mocked him before burning out. James smiled grimly in the darkness. The magic hadn't yet left him! While modern Muggle England was most unkind to magicians, witches, and all things magical, it would not best him. He would find his way home as soon as he could.

A sense of accomplishment stole over James as exhaustion blanketed him despite the fact that it was barely dark outside. All of a sudden he wondered if he had the energy to descend the steep staircase that removed his office from the rest of their home. Finally, the need to be with his remaining children overruled his physical objections and James closed the tower door firmly and walked toward his children's room. He was amused to find that he was still clutching his wand.

~*~

Lily swallowed hard and gave Sirius and Remus a smile that bathed the room in brilliant white light. She was finally going to see her nearly grown son. Elation and a sense of completeness were hers as she mentally considered possible outcomes of their meeting. Her arms ached to hold the teenager close and her heart soared with the thought of getting to know the remarkable young man that she had birthed. "Please send for him immediately Sirius." Her tone was breathless and expression, almost childlike in its unfettered joy

Sirius nodded and gave Lily one of his trademark roguish grins. It had been far too long since he had had anything to smile about and now he would be fortunate enough to witness Harry and Lily's reunion…for a split second Sirius felt as if all his personal sacrifices were diminished.

Sirius conferred quietly with Dumbledore for a few moments. Lily watched their heads together and for a moment, she was assured that everything would work out. Sirius and Remus along with Hogwarts' best would get James back. When done, he wound an arm around Lily's shoulders for a moment before composing his own parchment. As he fastened it and a small key to Hedwig, he let out a long held breath of air. "It's done now, Lily. Now, all we can do is wait. The key will deliver Harry to this enchanted point."

"Thank you, Sirius. I do hate to wait though."

"Waiting can be the hardest thing of all my dear." Dumbledore added softly. He spared the owl a smile as it glided out of the window. "Extraordinary owl, my dear, quite a good fit for your son. Harry is an extraordinary young man, Lily. He will not disappoint you."

Lily's hands were like ice despite the warmth of the cottage. Her heart raced almost uncontrollably and her mouth felt too dry to speak. "I…." She began then shrugged her shoulders in resignation." He is my son and that makes him wonderful in my eyes." Though her voice was raspy from unshed tears and sheer emotion, it was strong and determined. "Things are just moving so quickly. Perhaps we should take some time to prepare him for the shocks ahead of him."

Remus studied Lily's face carefully. "You aren't ready to meet him yet, are you?" 

Ever perceptive Remus. He had cut to the heart of her uneasiness immediately. In his own quiet way he had found his way to her insecurity. Lily met his eyes and gave him a tumultuous smile. Such a counterpoint to Sirius, Remus would see that Harry wasn't rushed.

"Perhaps you can both speak to him first?" Her head swept from one man to the other. "As James' and my friends, he'll accept the news from you the best and you're not quite the authority figures that the professors are. "

"Would you prefer that?" Sirus' expression had the touch of amazement, as if he could not quite come to terms with the fact that Harry must be led gently into this. Calm and slow was never exactly Sirius' way and his years of imprisonment had lent him a hungry mien, as if all things in life should be grasped and held close in case tomorrow never came for him.

A curtain of flame red hair covered her features; the lightly freckled tip of her nose bobbing up and down was the only sign of assent to the men. "I think that it would be the best for him. It will lessen the shock. He's bound to have a lot to deal with. The uncertainty over James and…" She shook her head as if to banish the troubling thoughts. "Is there a good place for me to watch?"

~*~

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny didn't quite know what to say or do as they gathered around Harry. The subject of their worry chewed absently upon his quill and watched the photographs he had spread out over the bed. He didn't meet their gaze and they were loath to break into his thoughtful state. Sometimes the best of friends just stood silent sentry and waited to be called upon.

Ron was starting to fidget as Hedwig flew in and directly to Harry. When he did not immediately acknowledge her, she nipped his finger seeking a place to roost.

"Hedwig!" Harry's voice sounded cloudy with emotion. "That was very fast!" He met the confused looks of all of his friends as his hands fumbled with the tightly compacted piece of parchment. His clumsy grasp caused both the parchment and a small key to clatter to the floor. 

"Grasp the key at exactly eight o'clock and you will be delivered to my location. I will show myself when it is safe. Don't worry Harry, everything will be just fine. Signed, Sirius." Harry read the note over a couple of times. "I guess he must be here and in hiding."

"Do you want us to come?" Ron asked quickly. Harry's thoughts rushed ahead as he consulted his watch. Though Sirius was as close as family to Harry, he didn't want to leave his best friend out of this.

"I wonder why he didn't just name a location." Hermione mused. She plucked the note from Harry's hands and she and Ginny read it over.

"Why don't we all go?" Harry didn't want to admit it, but the terms of the note bothered him as well and if there was trouble the four of them could handle it a lot more easily. An attack of conscience had him glancing toward Ginny. "You had better stay here though, Gin."

Ginny's face was quickly as red as her hair. "No way, Harry. It's not like we're going to be in any danger. And I am a part of this group!"

"And just how do you know that, young lady." Ron couldn't resist the comment.

Ginny's brown eyes hardened. "Not another word Ron. If you value your life you won't say another word." She whirled away, latching onto the one friend who made her feel as grown up as they were. "I can handle this right, Hermione?"

Hermione shrugged, caught between her loyalty to the boys and her friendship with Ginny. Finally, the friendship won; Hermione and Ginny were as close as sisters. "We don't even know there is trouble." She pointed out. "And if there is trouble, Ginny can get help. She'll be an asset. She's quick to run and thinks on her feet."

Harry looked at Ron and shrugged. "I tried." He stood up and Hedwig made for the window. "We'll meet you downstairs Hedwig," Harry called out with more confidence than he felt. Something felt strange here and Harry hated that.

"Are we ready then?" Ginny didn't wait for an answer as she reached for the key.

"Wait." Hermione shrilled. "I read about portkeys in a book once. Let me think." She tapped her chin thoughtfully while her gaze riveted on the ancient wrought iron key. "We will all have to touch the key at the same time and then we'll be transported to the location."

"Yeah but what location?" Ron asked.

Hermione sighed. "You need to read more Ron. If you only read…"

"Yeah yeah yeah I know, " Ron interrupted. "I need to read more, thanks for the advice. Now can you tell me the location?"

Ginny arched an auburn brow. "Quit it Ron. Stop being so mean."

Hermione emitted a long-suffering sigh. "I don't know what the location is, but the portkey will get us there."

"Right then." Harry was determined to get his friends moving. "On three all of us put our hands on the key. Ready? One, Two…"

"Three," they all chorused.

Severus Snape had been returning to the cottage with food for Lily and the rest of the assembled group when he felt rather than heard a rustle. He neatly moved aside, bringing the picnic hamper away from his body. His timing was impeccable; in mere seconds four teenage bodies tumbled to the springy grass where he had just been standing. 

"Potter." His derisive drawl hung in the air between the teens and Snape. He glanced at the door of the enchanted cottage and spoke a little more loudly. "What are you doing out on the 

grounds?"

Harry gaped at the professor as his mind raced. What could he say? He wouldn't betray Sirius. If Snape knew that his godfather was on Hogwart's grounds, he would certainly alert the ministry and soon the dementors would come. Harry shuddered at the thought of losing his godfather. He opened his mouth to speak.

"I.." Harry began, thinking rapidly for an excuse.

"What are you doing here, sir?" Ginny spoke him. When Snape turned to glare at her, she gave him an innocent wide-eyed look. "It is rather late for a picnic." She observed casually.

Snape looked down at the picnic hamper and shrugged carelessly. "Weasley what I do on these grounds is none of your concern." How could this young girl, this barely teenager have him off balance? Anger rose up from deep inside him, blotting out all rational thought. "Leave this place now. You are not wanted here."

Harry glared at the hated professor. "I don't think that's for you to decide! I don't know what you're doing here but we have a reason…." He trailed off, realizing that he had said too much.

"A reason, Potter? What sort of reason? Could it be that you are just being your arrogant odious self? As you pass through Hogwarts you remind me more and more of your father every day."

Harry wouldn't back down. "Thank you." He said quietly.

Snape returned Harry's glare with equal enmity. "It wasn't a compliment, Potter."

~*~

Lily Potter listened to the exchange between her old friend and her son in silent horror as their voices drifted through an open window. She didn't dare make a sound fearing that Harry would find out about her in a most unprepared way. 

She had so many questions. Why did Severus seem to dislike Harry so much and why did he keep bringing up James? She looked up at Sirius, her emerald eyes filling with tears at the fury and hatred that passed between the unseen voices just out of her reach.

"Awww come on Lil." Sirius whispered as he held her tight. He wanted to rush outside and control the situation but for the moment Harry's mother was his first priority. "Come on sweetheart, don't cry. We have to get you hidden before Harry sees you, remember?"

Lily looked up at Sirius and nodded slowly. She had to hold her feelings in check until she could ask questions and get answers. For now, she had to hide and let the news be broken to Harry in a gentle way.

"Come with me." Professor McGonagall's words were soft and reassuring. Lily extended a hand that was clasped gently but firmly. "You can stay right here." A wave of her wand and Lily was separated from the rest of the group in a small room with a wooden door. "You can see out but we are unable to see in. Good luck, Lily. I know you'll do the right thing for Harry." She paused a beat and brushed Lily's hair back in a rare gesture of tenderness. "Welcome back Lily. You've been missed." She winced as Harry and Snape's voices rose again. "I'll leave you to it." She said hurriedly and closed the door behind Lily. "Albus please do something!"

~*~

Harry stood toe to toe with his professor. "I love and admire my father. He was a hero. He lived a hero and he died a hero. It's an honor to be compared to him even if you try to use him as an insult. It just shows what a small man that you are."

Snape's face went dark with rage and he fumbled for his wand. All self-control was gone; he could only think about wiping the smile off young Potter's face. "I'll teach you respect if I have to beat it into you."

A small cottage suddenly appeared in front of the group of students and Snape. Professor Dumbledore threw the door open and looked sternly at the feuding professor and student. "That will be enough, Severus." He turned to the students. "Come in, come in. Thank you for bringing the food, Severus. Will you be joining us?"

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=story-read&storyid=381323



	4. Harry knows

Hello there!

I'm SO sorry for the delay in posting! Real life intruded on fanfic time when my wonderful fiancé came over for a visit in late October. With the current state of the world and all we had a serious discussion when he was here and decided to get married. All the adjustments that followed there plus the holidays have kept me not writing for so long that frustration was my middle name!

Anyway, I'm back now with Chapter 4 of Fate's Manipulation. In the last chapter, Harry was summoned to a mysterious location and he and Snape had quite an argument outside the enchanted cottage where Lily, Sirius, Dumbledore, etc were.

In this chapter, Harry gets the news he's always dreamed about!

Back chapters can be found at http://www.schnoogle.com/authorLinks/CelticFlame/Fates_Manipulation/

Please tell me what you think of this. My poor neglected muse Padfoot is going stir crazy and suffering from a serious case of the Winter Blues. Your replies will perk him up and help me to be more productive.

Thanks for reading!!

Bree

Chapter 4

Snape's anger faded immediately into a white gauzy haze of shock. Was he to be a witness to Harry and Lily's reunion? What was Dumbledore about exactly? He affixed the trusted headmaster with a steely, yet curious look before taking a step into the cottage. "Yes, Headmaster, that was my plan." He turned to watch the headmaster with the students. 

Harry shot the Weasley siblings and Hermione a panicked look. Was Sirius in there? Snape could be responsible for his godfather's death and Dumbledore didn't look in the least bit panicked. Harry would have been hard pressed to describe the headmaster's expression. He saw curiosity in the old man's gaze as well as anticipation and keen interest. 

"Sir?" Harry gulped back his panic as his voice emitted a shrill sound. "Sir?" he repeated a little breathlessly. "We were ordered here by a friend and I don't think that Professor Snape…." He trailed off and gestured helplessly at his potions professor.

Dumbledore nodded in comprehension and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. As he gently squeezed the boy's arm, he tried to convey reassurance in his gaze. "Professor Snape has been asked here by me, Harry. He will not cause any problems for you or your friends." He turned back to give Snape a meaningful look. "This is correct is it not, Serverus? You mean no harm to Harry and his friends." 

Severus started to speak but then reminded himself that Lily was in the room behind him and he owed her many kindnesses for all that she had done for him when they had been young. "I mean Mr. Potter no harm at all." Despite his words, Severus spoke in a vaguely menacing tone. "Your food, Headmaster." He added as an afterthought, motioning to the picnic basket.

"Thank you Severus." Professor Dumbledore's voice softened before he turned back to Harry and his friends. "It warms my heart to see that you have accompanied Harry, Ms. Granger, Mr. and Ms. Weasley. Please do come inside." 

Ron patted Harry on the shoulder as he walked in slightly ahead of his friends. As he stepped inside Ron, Hermione and Ginny lingered further behind, exchanging glances of confusion. Something big was about to happen; they could just feel the electricity in the air.

Harry stepped inside to find a motley assortment of people in the small and homey space. His eyes first glanced over the stiff form of the potions professor and then settled upon Assistant Headmaster McGonagall. Instead of her usual severe expression she wore a look of almost maternal misty pride. Both her presence and expression greatly unsettled Harry and he turned his head, seeking the familiar and reassuring forms of Professor Lupin and his godfather.

"James." The whispered name was the only word that came to Lily's mind as she watched her son enter the cottage. Hidden as she was, she was able to observe her son minutely. He was an absolute dead ringer for her husband and even as her heart soared in wonder and appreciation of the young man that stood a mere wooden barrier away, she mourned the fact that his father was still lost to them. 

"I will reunite you both." Lily whispered fiercely into the darkness as Harry slowly looked about the room. "I will make us whole again, my precious child."

Sirius had not stopped watching his godson since the door had opened. He was touched by Harry's state of worry for him, and fought with every fiber of his being to stay calm and in control while Harry stood in the doorway. Remus' gently restraining arm on his was the boost his self control needed, but his legs strained with the effort of staying still when all he wanted to do was to launch himself at his godson and share the news.

"Harry." His voice was roughened by the emotion that he held in check. 

Harry allowed a tentative grin to begin as he watched Sirius. Something was afoot and judging by the barely repressed smile on his godfather's face it was good news. If Ginny and his professors hadn't been there, Harry might have launched himself at Sirius for a hug, but he settled for a manly handshake. "Hi Sirius, hi Professor Lupin." He ducked as Sirius attempted to ruffle his hair. "Has something happened?"

Sirius shared a glance with Remus before answering Harry. "Something has." He began slowly. 

Sirius wanted to capture this moment for a lifetime. Harry's eyes shone emerald, the same emerald he had just seen on the redhead that was hidden away from her son for the moment. Harry's expression was a mixture of intrigue and subtle hopeful enthusiasm tempered with caution. The boy had seen far too much to let his emotions carry him away.

"So." Harry asked shakily. "What is it?" It must have been something major to bring people like Professor McGonagall, Snape, and Sirius and Professor Lupin to the same place. Suddenly, he had a horrible thought and he paled. Maybe it wasn't good news after all…what if it was horrible news that Sirius had to give him? Harry's mind raced, his good mood disappeared in a second, giving way to terror and he focused on the one person that could elicit the most fear in him. Voldemort. It had to be Voldemort! Had he attacked The Dursleys? Though the Dursleys were hardly Harry's favorite people in the world, he had no desire to see them dead at the hands of the dark lord.

"Who is it Sirius? Who has Voldemort killed?" Harry looked from face to face to see shock and horror registering with everyone. "Tell me Sirius." He pleaded in a quiet tone. "I want to know."

Sirius almost seemed to be looking beyond Harry as he shook his slowly. "Voldemort hasn't done anything Harry." Sirius assured in an extra calm tone of voice. Harry felt himself relax just a bit though fear and uncertainty continued to curl in his stomach. Sirius seemed so sure of himself and so relaxed, yet there was something inexplicable brewing in his gaze and that kept Harry feeling distinctly off balance.

"Please tell me what it is then?" Harry knew that he sounded shrill, but as his panic mounted he found that he was unable to stop the nervousness that coursed through him and the feeling that something life changing was about to take place. Around him stood some of the most powerful people in the wizarding world and the true seat of authority for Hogwarts. They were all in a cottage, a cottage that was well removed from the main castle, yet still well onto Hogwarts property for a reason. But what was it?

Sirius nodded slowly. "Are you ready for this Harry?" His voice sounded grave but at the same time there was a mysterious note coloring the older man's words. Sirius was a study in differing emotions, Harry realized, wondering which emotion would color the announcement.

Harry swallowed hard. "Yes." He whispered.

~*~

As James passed by his bedroom, he winced. He just wasn't able to deal with his wife right now and hoped that someday she'd understand. So many emotions from the past were flowing over him, and for the first time in ages, James Potter felt as if he was drowning in his memories. His heart ached to hold Lily, to ruffle Harry's hair, and he wanted so desperately to be among his own kind again.

Throughout the years James had adjusted to this world where magic was just found in books, but he never forgot who he was. He never forgot his family, his friends, his precious child but he had accepted his fate. Now, the thoughts and feelings that had perpetually hovered on the outskirts of his consciousness had bubbled to the surface and he didn't know where he truly belonged any longer. 

Wizarding was in his blood and his former life would still be his home if he had been able to return to it so long ago. When he hadn't, he had begun to build a life for himself in his new world. Now, children and a marriage were involved and circumstances no longer presented themselves in stark blacks and whites.

James stood in the darkened hallway and allowed himself to dream. If he could have his fondest wish, he would be home again, introducing all his children to each other and forming a life within the wizarding community. He could be an Auror again; he could make his life quite happy there.

But what of Claire, a nagging voice resounded in the darkness. What would become of her? He had made a commitment to her both as a friend and as a sometimes lover. Current circumstances did not nullify the vows they had made and James well knew that.

James turned to stare at the dark wood of his bedroom door, wondering all the while how to span the gulf that had sprung up with respect to Claire. She was somehow unattainable, as if the present knowledge left her stained somehow. James ran a hand through his hair and tried to dispel his troublesome thoughts. Claire had done absolutely nothing wrong and it would not do to blame her for things that none of them could even begin to understand.

Still, the knowledge that James now had changed things. If Lily was indeed dead, James would have to properly mourn the love of his life and if not…. he'd have to find his way back to her. James rocked back on his heels, stunned by his silent admission. If Lily was alive, he would reunite with her and if not…. would he be able to settle with Claire? Was it fair to his wife and the mother of his children that he be "settling for" and not truly in love with her? He had faced some hard decisions in the past but the children had never been involved before. Suddenly, second best wasn't good enough for James and he steeled himself for the realization that the upcoming days would be hard on himself and his marriage.

He hesitated again for a beat, struggling for something unknown before turning to the door behind which his children slept. He opened the door slowly and stood watching them. They were so different from Harry, yet they were undeniably his children, his legacy. He slipped into the room, then sank onto his daughter's bed.

"Hi daddy." Amanda's eyes popped open immediately and it was clear to James that the young girl had not yet been to sleep.

"Hello sweetheart." James reached over to tuck a lock of her hair back. "Are you having trouble sleeping?"

Amanda nodded her head then sat up, hugging her knees to her chest. "You seem sad, daddy."

Her observation was so direct, yet so honest. James settled closer to his daughter and reached for Amanda's hand. James and Amanda had always enjoyed a close relationship, one that almost transcended her young age. It wouldn't do to put her off and lies and bluffs would be easily seen through. He considered his answer carefully before speaking. "There are some things that make me sad sometimes." He told her somberly.

Amanda nodded knowingly, bringing a smile to James' face. "Do Adam and I make you sad like mommy does?"

James winced from this innocent blow. His children were far too perceptive and he had to learn to adequately shield them from his marital concerns. "No darling. No person makes me sad, not your mother, or yourself and Adam. I love all of you very much." James pulled Amanda into a tender hug and kissed the top of her head. 

"Good." Amanda replied, apparently satisfied that her father's emotional health was on an even keel. She frowned in concentration as she spied a stick in her father's hand. It shone even in the sparse light that the nightlight beside her bed cast and suddenly finding out about that stick was very important to the little girl. "Daddy what is that stick for? It looks like a wand just out of the Harry Potter books. Did you make me a wand?"

James shook his head with a tender smile. "I had this lying around. It's just something I used to use occasionally for inspiration." He placed it beside his daughter and lay back on her large double bed. James had initially objected to the purchase of such a large piece of furniture, but often the children read together in bed and fell asleep together, so he soon learned the value of the large bed. He glanced over at Adam, who had burrowed under the covers at the bottom of the bed and smoothed the blankets over both children and himself. Suddenly, the emotional onslaught of the evening hit him in a crushing wave of exhaustion. "Do you mind if I stay here with you and Adam for awhile?"

"No daddy." James missed Amanda's sly smile as she reached for the stick and waved it around. His eyes were closed and his mind was drifting toward sleep as a soft popping sound heralded a hazy purple light. "This is absolutely brilliant." Amanda breathed in awe.

"What was that, love?" James queried sleepily.

"Nothing, daddy. G'nite." Amanda put the stick down with a smile of supreme satisfaction upon her face. The smile was still there as she drifted off to sleep moments later.

~*~

As Harry waited for Sirius to speak again, he felt a jolt, as if someone had shocked him. "What was that?" he asked to the room.

Sirius looked even more concerned. He cast a worried look across the room before settling his attention back to Harry. "What happened Harry? Is everything all right?"

Harry nodded rapidly. Whatever had happened was just likely a minor pain, it wasn't anywhere near his scar, and it was already gone. Anyway, he had to know what was going on. "It was nothing Sirius. Please tell me whatever I need to know."

"All right." Sirius said with almost a sigh. He glanced away again before speaking "Harry something shocking and absolutely amazing has happened, thanks to…. Professor Snape."

Harry whirled and looked at his professor in surprise. Whatever he had been thinking, he had never imagined that Snape would be instrumental in it. The professor was looking at him with a peculiar expression on his face, one very different from the anger that Snape usually projected at him.

Harry's gaze slid further and he met his friends' eyes. All Ron could do was shrug while Hermione and Ginny's shock was well evidenced in their wide eyes. Harry knew that his expression must be mirroring the girls'. He gave himself a mental shake and then turned his attention back to Sirius. "Go on." His voice sounded authoritative and strong.

"Harry this is a miracle." Sirius' voice softened to nearly a whisper. "We've just found your mother. She didn't die that night Harry. Your mother is alive and well, and she here with us right now. Are you ready to meet her?"


	5. Reunion

Title: Fate's Manipulation(5/??)

Author:CelticFlame

Author Email:TgrzDlphns@yahoo.com/Sirius@black.org

Category: Solid drama, some angst, some romance

Keywords: James, Lily, return, Harry, Sirius

Rating: PG13-Adult themes and emotions.

Spoilers: Through POA

Summary: What REALLY happened to Lily and James that fateful night? Two lost souls are trying to make their way back to Hogwarts and Harry Potter, but many obstacles stand in their way. Will the Potters get their happily ever after or is this just a cruel manipulation of fate?

DISCLAIMER

This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

I only own Claire, Amanda and Adam Potter and the plot found herein.

A/N

Hi there! See, I can write more quickly ;) 

Welcome to chapter 5 of Fate's Manipulation. I hope that you will all enjoy this rather crucial chapter and forgive me for the cliffhanger last time. When in doubt, blame my muse, not me. I'm innocent I tell ya!

Back chapters can be found at http://www.schnoogle.com/authorLinks/CelticFlame/Fates_Manipulation/

Please tell me what you think of this chapter! Your replies help to shape the story and in many ways galvanize my writing. Plus, your replies will feed my muse, Padfoot, who is suffering from an addiction to the new season of Survivor. Feed a muse today, it's tax deductible!

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Thanks for reading!

Bree

If you like this story and would like to check out some of my other work, please visit my website at http://66.186.219.233/breesden/breeficden/index.htm

Chapter 5

Lily closed her eyes, silent tears escaping to trail slowly down her face. Her precious baby boy was mere inches away and being told something that would undoubtedly shake the foundation of his life, and where was she? Hiding in a closet! Her eyes snapped open and she reached slowly for the door, but as her hand curved around the cool metal, she remembered that she was doing this for Harry. She had to remain calm and in control instead of racing out to shock him.

Lily clenched her hands into fists and tried to quiet her soft mewing sounds. She had lost so much time. Her little boy was a strong teenager, well on the way to adulthood. She had missed out on so much of his life. Who had been there to celebrate with him as he got his Hogwarts letter? Who had been there when he had purchased his first wand? When he had flown for the first time? When he first learned to read? Who had comforted him when he had had nightmares? Who had nursed him through illnesses? It hadn't been she and James; she knew that much! How hard had it been for him to grow up without his parents? Had he been told how much he meant to them? How many nights had he spent crying and longing for his parents? How long had he mourned for them?

And now she was mourning the loss of so much of her son's life.

"Ohhhh," Lily moaned. The grief had suddenly become too much for her. She sank to her knees, a fist pressed firmly to her mouth, lest her sobs and whimpers be heard to those outside. She closed her eyes briefly, wanting for the moment to capture her precious child's younger years, but knowing that they were gone to her forever.

"I want my family back," Lily whispered fiercely into the darkness, as she slowly stood resolute against the crushing tide of grief.

Harry laughed softly as Sirius' words penetrated. "Sirius." His eyes shone overbright with a sudden film of tears. They stung, but he resisted the urge to scrub at them. "Do you realize what you just said? They're dead. My parents are dead. Don't you think that I know that?" His voice turned harsh. "You know that I live with that every day, so why are you doing this?" He turned away, seeking the comfort of his friends and the anger of his professors.

He received neither. His friends were huddled closely together, a strange mix of curiosity and worry forming their expressions. Harry turned next to look at the comforting presence of the headmaster and Professor McGonagall. They both looked gravely serious, yet misty eyed at the same time. They were not looking angrily at Sirius, as Harry had expected. 

He turned his attention back to Sirius, aware of a small flutter deep in his stomach. "Start over. I don't understand. My parents are dead. How can they…." 

Sirius placed a gentle hand upon Harry's shoulder. "Not they, son." Harry tried to comprehend Sirius' words as the man wiped almost angrily at his eyes. "We haven't any news about your father. But your mother was found today. Alive. Snape brought her here."

"Here?" Harry looked around wildly. "Here? Where?" He grabbed Sirius' arm. "Where?"

Sirius wrapped a paternal arm around Harry's shoulder. "Relax, Harry. This is very hard for her. She's had a lot of changes in a very short time." 

Harry nodded, but he could not stop his excitement and nervousness from stealing away his caution. He watched the professors in the room. Snape was furtively glancing at a small closet in the corner of the room, and suddenly he knew.

"Harry!" He heard Sirius call him as he stepped away and half ran to the door, but the man didn't follow him. As he reached the door, a hush of anticipation blanketed the room, and Harry knew that he would want to remember this moment for a lifetime.

  
He turned the doorknob and met no resistance.

As it swung outward, Harry's heart felt as if it might burst.

Lily had barely been able to breathe, as it became apparent that the moment was rushing upon her. All she could think about would be how he would feel in her arms. Would he feel familiar to her? Would he find a way to forgive her for not protecting him enough?

The door slowly opened, the creaks of weathered wood the only sound in the room. The silence was oppressive. Lily watched breathlessly as her dark haired, bespectacled son came into view. She had to do this slowly. She had to avoid hurting him any further.

"MUM!" Harry's voice broke on the word and he launched himself into the arms of the emerald-eyed woman that he had only seen in the Mirror of Erised and in wizarding photographs before. His heart swelled as their eyes met.

Lily wrapped her arms around her son in a crushing hug. He felt the same! He felt safe and fulfilling and…. elementally HER SON. She laughed and cried as her arms tightened even further around him. "My baby son…my precious little boy…Harry."

"Mum." Harry whispered the word over and over again. His joy and wonder were palpable to everyone in the room. After a few long minutes of luxuriating in the feel of each other, Harry and Lily pulled away from each other and stood at arms length, gazing at each other.

"So handsome…." Lily touched her son's cheek. "You look so much like your father."

Harry smiled and nodded self-consciously. He had so much to say and to ask, but could hardly form the simplest phrases in his head. "Where is he?" When Lily just looked puzzled, Harry spoke a little more slowly. "Where is my dad?"

"Oh!" Lily gasped, and stood lost for a moment. "Harry…. I don't know. I don't know." She stroked his hair slowly, appealing for help from Remus and Sirius with her eyes.

Sirius got up, quickly strode to mother and son, and wrapped a comforting arm around Lily. "Harry, take it easy. Your mother has had a very stressful day, and you've just had a big shock yourself. Why don't we sit down, first."

"No," Harry said in a low tone of voice, eyes fixed upon his godfather and mother. "Sirius, where is my father? Tell me now, please."

Sirius closed his eyes and pulled Lily closer, as if to shield her from what he knew he had to say, both for her sake and for Harry's sake. "We don't know, Harry. We have reason to believe, to hope, that your dad is alive, but we haven't found him yet."

Lily turned her eyes to Sirius. "Do you really think that James could be alive?"

"We do," Headmaster Dumbledore put in. "We will find him Lily."

She closed her eyes, a hopeful expression on her face despite the tears coursing down her cheeks yet again. Harry's harsh breathing caused her to open her eyes in shock.

"Are you ok?" She whispered.

He hovered close to her, wanting to help, but uncertain of his function.

"Yes, son," Lily replied, pulling him tight to her yet again. "Sirius is right. We should sit down. We have so much to discuss." Her expression turned wistful. "And you have so much to tell me about you and your life." She caught sight of the three other teenagers in the room. "Are these your friends, then?"

Harry nodded and shared a giant grin with his friends as they came closer in a group. "Mum, this is Ron Weasley." He motioned to the redhead. "And his sister, Ginny. And this is Hermione Granger. They're some of my best friends here."

Lily nodded, and extended her hand to shake theirs. "It is wonderful to meet you all. Thank you for being my son's friends."

Hermione gave Lily a tumultuous smile. "It's great to meet you, too, Mrs. Potter. We…um…" she looked at Ron and Ginny for a long moment, a silent debate ensuing in their gazes. "We'll leave you to it then, Harry. You know where to find us. We'll wait up for you."

"Thanks," Harry replied hoarsely. As much as he enjoyed having his friends around, he didn't want to share his time with his mother with anyone else. He knew that the professors, even Snape, were necessary for whatever was happening with both of his parents, but it somehow seemed wrong for his friends to be present for the moment as well.

Hermione touched his shoulder gently. "You are very welcome, Harry."

Harry watched in silence as they exited quietly, then turned to look at his mother. She was sitting between Remus and Sirius with just enough room left over for him. As he moved closer, Remus draped a crocheted blanket over her lap. "Do you need anything, mum?" Harry asked, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his robes. As wonderful as this was for him, it was also very awkward for him to be standing in front of a mother that he never knew.

Lily turned to look at her son, a tender smile on her face. She stretched out a hand and gently tugged a hand free. "I have you, Harry. I need nothing else for the moment. Sit with me, will you, and tell me about your life."

~*~

Dumbledore inclined his head to Sirius and Remus, as Harry and Lily settled down together. The men got up together and joined Professor McGonagall and Snape in a corner of the room. "Silenceo." Dumbledore waved his wand, and an invisible barrier appeared between the two halves of the room. "They need their privacy, and we need to speak about our next course of action, "the older man explained.

Sirius clenched and unclenched his fists. "Is there a realistic chance that James is out there somewhere much as Lily was? We have tried everything, and it is as if he just does not exist anymore."

Dumbledore pulled out a snitch sized crystal ball. "I trust that you all know what this is." The statement was merely perfunctory. The professors and Sirius were expected to know what it was and how it pertained to their investigation of James Potter's whereabouts.

"Yes, the Orb of Being," Remus replied. He looked more closely at the small object. "Professor, may I?" Dumbledore nodded and placed it into Remus' hands carefully.

Remus stared at it for a few moments then looked up in surprise. "This is James' orb. It must have been cast when the Fidelius was cast. I presume that you had one for Lily, as well?"

"Correct, Remus." Dumbledore smiled. "And what do you see in that orb? Does the fire of life burn brightly, dimly, or not at all?"

Remus frowned. "That's the strange thing." He turned the orb from side to side and even upside down. "The fire of life is burning a solid and clear path through the orb, but there is something strange about it."

"What is that?" Sirius leaned in close and gasped as he, too, saw what Remus found strange. "Why is the fire blue?" Sirius turned his attention to Dumbledore. "I have never seen that. What does that mean?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "I haven't any idea, Sirius. I have never seen anything like it. The light has burned thusly since I reactivated the orb some days ago."

"Days ago?" Sirius asked, surprise coloring his tone. "What about right after James and Lily…did it burn then?"

McGonagall shook her head. "Albus and I observed the Orbs every day in the hopes that they would show some sign of life. When they showed no change, we placed them in slumber, all those years ago."

"And now James' orb burns with a blue fire. What could this mean?" Sirius tried to reason things out.

"Perhaps your friend is in another place. Perhaps the worthy one was resurrected, while the unworthy stayed dead," Snape replied lazily.

"Perhaps you had better keep your filthy mouth shut," Sirius said in a low tone.

"Gentlemen." Dumbledore's voice was steely. He reclaimed the Orb from Remus and looked at it thoughtfully for a moment. "If you desire answers, you will not waste time sniping at each other. Severus, I know your personal feelings for James Potter, and I well understand your point of view. However, when you agreed to work with us, you undertook a great responsibility. This is merely one of your responsibilities, nothing more, nothing less. Please do not let your personal feelings towards James rule you." 

He turned, and gave Sirius a long look. "Sirius, I well understand your need and want to defend your best friend from thoughtless statements. That is both loyal and noble of you, but you must remember that we are a team aligned against the dark arts and must work as a team. I must be able to count on all of you to work together. These long past rivalries and jealousies must be put to rest." He turned to Remus. "Can I trust you to mediate if any personality conflict arise between Professor Snape and Mr. Black?"

Remus nodded and shuffled, feeling very awkward all of a sudden.

"Well, then, " Professor McGonagall jumped in. "We have an orb that burns a fire most blue, instead of any color we have previously seen. It must be a valuable clue to James Potter's condition. Have you any ideas?"

Remus glanced awkwardly at Sirius, and then reached forth to take the orb in his hands again. "Perhaps Severus hit upon something very important. Perhaps James is in some other place entirely, a place not of vibrant life, yet not a place of death either. Perhaps he is suffering from the same memory charm that rendered Lily unable to come to us for so long. Perhaps he is in a place like St. Mungo's."

"Perhaps," Dumbledore ventured, "He is living as a Muggle."

~*~

Harry just gazed at his mother for quite some time. He was vaguely aware that the other adults in the room had congregated and walled themselves up somehow, as the cottage was silent except for his and his mother's breathing. Harry grinned; his mother was here, alive, BREATHING.

Lily reached over to brush an unruly lock of Harry's hair back. "You're staring." She gave him a slightly embarrassed smile. "Much as I am, I suppose. You 're so big, Harry. Please…" She met his eyes sadly. "I have missed so much of your life. I need to know everything about you, darling."

Harry bit his lip before he spoke again. "I have so many questions, too. I wanted to know about you all my life. They told me…they told me that you died in a car crash. I never knew how brave you or my father were and…" All out of words for the moment, Harry sat close to her.

Lily frowned angrily, and considered striding over to give Remus and Sirius a piece of her mind. She was still cloudy on the events of that night, but she knew that she and James had been touched by Voldemort's evil, no Muggle machinery had been responsible for what had taken them from their son.

"Did I say something wrong?" Harry's voice was quite tentative.

Lily shook her head rapidly, and reached for Harry's hand. "I cannot for the life of me understand why Sirius and Remus would have lied to you."

"Lied to me?" Harry asked in a confused tone. Then, realization dawned and he shook his head rapidly. "Professor Lupin and Sirius never said anything of the sort. I just met them this year."

"You what?" Lily's eyes widened with shock. "How precisely did that happen?" Harry started to answer, and she put a restraining hand up. "Maybe you should start from the beginning. Didn't Sirius watch after you when your father and I were no longer around to protect you. We made provisions that should something happen, he do just that, and if not he, Peter and Remus."

"Mum, please calm down." Harry let out a huge sigh. If she was the person everyone had told him she was, she was in for a very nasty shock. "I wasn't raised by any of them. There was a…problem. Sirius was unable to care for me, Peter had disappeared, and I was sent to live with Aunt Petunia."  
  
Lily's eyes hardened. "Petunia? She took care of you all these years?"

"Well," Harry hastened to add. "She took care of the basics, but she never cared for me. I was stuck with them until my Hogwarts letter came. It was so horrible, mum. She didn't care for you or dad, and said you were killed in an accident. I never knew magic until Hogwarts."

Lily gasped in horror, guilt and shame. "Oh, sweetheart, that must have been so terrible for you," she managed before holding him tightly to her chest. "I wish that I could change things. Darling, if I could give my life for your happiness a thousand times over, I would have done so without a hesitation. That insufferable woman will have to answer to me about the way she treated you." She ran her hands through Harry's hair and tried to slow her breathing. "How could they have sent you there? I thought Sirius, Peter, and Remus would protect you with their lives." She glanced over at the older men and frowned. "How can they show themselves here with their heads held high?"

Harry scooted even closer, and took his mother's hand in a strong grip. What he had to tell her was going to change her world in ways that she could have never expected. "Mum, they didn't have a choice. Things became very complex, very quickly. I hope that you're ready for this." His half sigh hovered over them for long moments before Harry broke the silence with an awkwardly cleared throat.

"Peter betrayed you, mum. I just learned it earlier this year. He was working with Voldemort all the while and…" He stopped speaking and released one of his mother's hands to wrap a comforting arm around her shoulder. "I'm sorry to have to break this to you, mum." 

Lily pressed her lips together and shook her head slightly. That was the only movement save the silent tears that ran down her face. She started to reach up to brush them away, but decided not to at the last moment. Her hand hung in midair for a few seconds before falling to her side, but otherwise she sat resolute as her mind tried to process it.

"Of course, Harry, of course he did. That was the only way Voldemort could have known…. we had quite a complex and powerful spell done, and Peter was the one we had entrusted." Her voice wobbled as more tears poured out. "How could he have wanted us dead? Your father…. James…. was so wonderful with him. Peter was sort of a younger brother to him, and I always got on well with him…."

"People change…" Harry didn't know what to say, but he couldn't let her go through this alone.

Lily angrily wiped at her eyes. "Yes, Harry they do, but that man, that coward, held you in his arms as he plotted our death. That is no change, darling, that is pure evil that has taken root in someone who was once a good and trusted friend."

"I know. I just don't know what to tell you. I never knew him as your friend, just as your enemy."

"You missed meeting someone who was, at one point, a member of our extended family." Lily seemed to accept this, but then her mind came back into the present and focused even more keenly on Sirius and Remus. "What kept them from helping you, Harry. It cannot be any worse."

It certainly can be, Harry thought, composing his thoughts. "I am not sure what happened with Professor Lupin, but I know about Sirius. Peter framed him for your deaths and the deaths of a bunch of Muggles."

Lily gasped. "Did he…" She couldn't say the words and they were unnecessary anyhow. The haunted look in Harry's eyes told her all that she needed to know. "Oh no, Harry. Not Sirius. He was punished for Peter's betrayal?" Harry nodded and bit his lip. Lily knew that there was more to the story and hunted for the correct response. "Was he sent to Azkaban, Harry?" The look in her son's eyes answered that question. "Of all of us, he was least prepared to deal with the horror and hopelessness of that place." She let out a soft sob and closed her eyes.

"I know." Harry pulled her close, and rested his head on hers as she sobbed. "Mum, it simply isn't fair. The fact that Sirius is here is a miracle. The fact that you are here, mum…. that's another miracle. Sometimes we have to look at the good things, even when it is hard to see past the pain."

Lily raised her head and gave her son a watery smile. "You sound like a cross between your father and Dumbledore."

"Thank you," Harry said gravely, reminded of another conversation he had just had about his likeness to his father. "Can you….will you…tell me about him?"

Lily nodded, the ghost of a smile whispering over her lips. "I would love that. Your father was…." 

Harry flinched. "IS," he emphasized in a low tone.

"Yes, darling, is. He is out there. We must find him, Harry. He is needed here." She gripped her son's hands with an intensity that almost scared him. "He needs to be here with both of us." She shook slightly and began to speak softly. As hard as Harry strained to hear what she was saying, her intense whisper just escaped his hearing. Trembling now, Lily's expression turned to one of intense concentration, and she closed her eyes. 

"Mum?" Harry whispered. Her actions were beginning to be upsetting to him. She squeezed his hand reassuringly, but never ceased speaking. Harry felt a tingle where their hands joined and closed his eyes too.

After only seconds, he caused his mind to go blank in some instinctive way and Harry felt the gentle tug and tingle of magic. His mother seemed to be reaching out for something. Harry released one of her hands slowly and slipped his wand in between them. "This might help." 

Her voice wavered for a moment, then continued. The warm glow of his mother's words was turning into something almost violent, something that began to hurt. A green mist began to seep in under the door of the cottage, drawing the attention of the others in the room.

"Whatever are they doing?" Remus asked curiously. 

"I haven't any idea," McGonagall put in. "But we must get to them now. This could be very dangerous. Albus, please remove the barrier."

Even before the words were out of her mouth, the Headmaster had done so. He stood watching Lily and Harry, stroking his beard and nodding thoughtfully. A slight smile began to break. "Their combined power is simply extraordinary."

The pain became even more intense, and Harry began to shake. "Mum, I think you need to stop now! It hurts!" She was too far into her own world to listen or understand, so Harry began to jerk his hands back. As the tips of his fingers and his wand left hers, a bolt of red lightning shot out, knocking them both to the floor where they lay still and unmoving.


	6. Confusion

Title: Fate's Manipulation(6/??)

Author:CelticFlame

Author Email:Sirius@black.org

Category: Solid drama, some angst, some romance

Keywords: James, Lily, return, Harry, Sirius

Rating: PG13-Adult themes and emotions.

Spoilers: Through POA

Summary: What REALLY happened to Lily and James that fateful night? Two lost souls are trying to make their way back to Hogwarts and Harry Potter, but many obstacles stand in their way. Will the Potters get their happily ever after or is this just a cruel manipulation of fate?

DISCLAIMER

This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

I only own Claire, Amanda and Adam Potter and the plot found herein.

London, England

Author's Note:

Hi there!  
I'm sorry this one has taken so long to produce. It's been complete for nearly a month but was held up in editing. I've just received it back and wanted to post it right away!

The chapter may seem a bit confusing , so I do want to assure you that I AM a James and Lily shipper and that Claire Potter will be treated fairly as well. Having said THAT, you can see the tangled web I'm waving LOL.

Back chapters can be found at http://www.schnoogle.com/authorLinks/CelticFlame/Fates_Manipulation/ and if this story intrigues you, I have a few others in progress. The links to all my stories can be found at http://66.186.219.233/breesden/breeficden/index.htm

I'd love to know what you think of this chapter. My muse, Sirius, is being distracted by the beautiful spring weather and would rather be out chasing kites and cars. Instead, he's trapped inside helping me create stories. Your replies will help me to convince him to stay inside instead.

Thanks for your patience and thanks for reading!

Bree

Chapter 6

James Potter awoke with a thunk as two painful weights landed on his chest. His senses were muddled for a moment as he tried to shake the cobwebs of sleep away. After a few moments of utter confusion, he managed to open his eyes.

"Adam? Amanda?" he asked in surprise. The weights on his body appeared to be his confused children.

"What happened, daddy?" Amanda asked, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. "Where are we?"

"I…" James started to answer that they were home in their own beds, when full awareness made him sit up in shock. He looked around before reflexively pulling his children into his arms for a tight hug. "I'm not sure, Amanda. Stay very close and keep an eye on your brother."  


Amanda bit her lip and nodded, squeezing the confused little boy's hand as her father slowly stood and brushed loose dirt off his hands.

"It is night where we are," James reasoned, peering into the darkness for any sort of landmark.

"Daddy?" Adam tugged at the bottom of his father's shirt. "Is this magic, like in the Harry Potter books?"

James ruffled his son's hair and gave him a wistful smile. If only… "Something like that, Adam." His mind whirled with possible explanations for their whereabouts even as he tried to get a handle on their location. Their predicament was serious; the air was cool and crisp and while he was wearing a casual jumper and jeans, his children had on only their nightclothes and would soon feel the cold.

"Come on," James said, scooping up Adam abruptly. "We'll walk until we can find some streetlights. Amanda, will you be able to walk in your slippers?" Being a protective father was James' only way of coping right now, and he knew that he had to proceed in a rational and methodical way to find answers.

Amanda nodded quickly, and reached for James's hand even as he was reaching for hers. "All right, then. Tell me if it becomes too hard for you." He spent a brief moment smiling down at his daughter. Sometimes the potential in her amazed him.

"All right, then," James said in a calm voice, even though he was on edge. It wouldn't do for the children to see or sense his nervousness. "Adam, hold tightly to my neck. I know that you want to go back to sleep and as soon as we get back home, you can do that, but for now I need you to be big and strong and hold onto me."

' 'k daddy." Adam was quickly falling back to sleep, James realized with a sigh. "Amanda, you must tell me if this becomes too hard for you." 

"I will," she replied and tugged urgently on her father's hand. "Can we go, daddy? Adam and I hate the dark."

James nodded and began walking to the west, as if by instinct. After a few minutes, they turned a corner and James realized why the city looked so bloody dark. "It appears that we've had a blackout." The closed shopfronts were all darkened and that was to be expected, but none of the streetlights were illuminated either and the cars proceeded very cautiously along the road. The next block did not appear to be effected as much though, and James decided to go toward the lights.

James took a deep breath, as he looked around. The blackout did not perturb him so much as the reasons for it and his sudden appearance in the street with his children. He realized where he was as one of the shopkeepers shined a flashlight in a window. "All right then, just a short distance to home," he said, hoping to rally his children's' spirits. "We'll ring up mum and tell her what happened."

"What did happen, dad?" 

James bit his lip and shook his head. "I am not entirely sure, luv. Come on." When he reached the public telephone, he motioned to Amanda. "Can you get some change out of my pocket and dial home, so I don't have to shift Adam?"

Amanda nodded and studiously placed the coins into the box, dialing her home number. "Hello? Who is this? Is my mum there?" She looked up at James tearfully. "No, this isn't a joke. I can pass the phone to my dad if you like."

James took the phone wordlessly from his daughter. "Hello? Is Claire there?"

"I don't know any Claire." An unfamiliar voice met his ears. "Are you sure you have the right number?"

James nodded, before realizing that the man couldn't see him. "I'm sure." He said heavily and repeated the number back twice to the man before hanging up.

"Why does that man have our telephone number?" Amanda asked.

"I haven't any idea darling." He hunkered down to his daughter's eye level. "Can you walk the four blocks to home, Amanda? My wallet is at home, and it's doubtful that a taxi would take us that short a distance anyway. We can find out then. Please don't worry. Mummy is fine."

"Are you sure?" Amanda asked, and suddenly she looked so young to James. He tended to think of her as much older than her 11 years. James nodded, pulling her into a tight one-armed hug.

"Positive." He stood again, taking her hand in his. "Tell me if we're walking too fast."

The walked two blocks before everything began to appear different to James. There was a park where a block of flats had existed. In confusion, he turned two corners and suddenly found himself in the shadows of a shopfront.

"Daddy? This isn't home. This is Charing Cross Road. Why are we here?"

"I know." James said, staring up at the sign in shock before looking at the shopfronts on either side. There was no explanation for this. He had been here many a time, especially in those dark days after first arriving in this new world. This shopfront had never existed to him since his time at Hogwarts. How was it here now? Was it some clever marketing scheme by the people writing about his son's life? James shook his head to dispel the confusing thoughts and pushed open the door to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Dad?" Amanda asked uncertainly. "Should we be here?"

"I have to check something, love. Please try to understand." He realized that his voice was shaking and tried to give his daughter a reassuring smile. "It will just take a minute and then we can be off home."

Amanda didn't reply, but it was obvious that this didn't please her. "I'm tired, dad." Her voice wavered, and James realized how close she was to tears. He bent down and gathered her close. 

"I know, darling, and you have been so bloody brave for me tonight. Hang on a little longer for me, please?"

"I'll try." Amanda looked positively pathetic. 

James kissed the top of her head and settled her and Adam at a table near the bar. "I will be done as fast as I can, sweetheart." His daughter's bravery in the face of such strange circumstances touched his heart. He watched her secure her sleeping brother in a chair and sighed before returning to the task at hand. The possibilities flooded his mind but he was unable to allow himself to hope yet.

He walked up to the bar. "Hi, can I have two glasses of milk for my children."

The bartender nodded and placed two frosty glasses on the bar. "Right. That will be two sickles each." 

"Two...sickles?" James asked in shock, a hint of awe creeping into his voice.

"Yeah?" The bartender asked defensively. "If you haven't got it, I have to take the milk back." He seemed suspicious of James, and shook his head. "Wandering around with those children without robes or shoes. You should be ashamed of yourself."

James felt rather than saw a bulky presence lumber up beside him. "Leave off, Martin. I'll pay for the Muggle." The man tapped James on the shoulder. "Ye wouldn't be one of us, would yeh? Not knowing about sickles and all."

James turned to face the man. He KNEW that voice. "Hagrid?"

~*~

"Harry! Lily!" Sirius rushed over to the still pair and checked their breathing. "They're just unconscious," he reported to the others and gently lifted Lily to the bed. "It must have been too much magic for them," he said in a shaky tone of voice before turning to Dumbledore for advice.

"Yes, Sirius, I think you must be right," Dumbledore said with a small nod. "They should recover their senses in a few minutes." He looked at Harry's wand and shook his head. "I should have known…"

"Known what?" Remus asked as he made Harry's position on the floor more comfortable.

"They must have been trying a spell together," Dumbledore pointed out.

"I suspect I know what spell that was," Snape added. He strode briskly across the room and picked up the orb. The bright path of fire that was the life force of James Potter glowed a bright brilliant green. "It seems that the elder Mr. Potter is once again among us."

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "Just as I suspected. Their combined power must have been extraordinary. I wonder…" he trailed off as Harry let out a low moan.

"Harry?" Remus was the closest one to the young man. As Harry's confused eyes fluttered open, Snape slipped an ice cold goblet of pumpkin juice into his hand. Remus supported Harry as he struggled to sit up. 

"What happened?" he asked in confusion. "Mum! Is she…?" He placed a hand against his scar and tried to shake out the cobwebs.

Dumbledore placed a gentle hand on the top of Harry's head. "She will be fine, Harry. The force of your magic knocked you both senseless for a moment. Why don't you drink some pumpkin juice and try to get your breath back. I would like to know what spell you cast."

"Later," Harry said, urgency evident in his worried tone. He moved to his mother's bedside and touched her face gently. When her green eyes opened, he choked back emotion. A small part of him had wondered if his mother had come back only to leave him again so suddenly. "Mum?" Harry offered her the cold goblet. "Please drink this. It will help."

Lily gave him a loving look, before turning to the older people in the room. "What happened?"

McGonagall motioned the goblet to Lily's lips, as Snape conjured another one for Harry. 

Remus soundlessly handed the drink to Harry, grateful that Harry had not seen that it was Snape that had gotten the drink. "You need to drink, too, Harry," Remus reminded softly.

Harry nodded, and drank thirstily. He could feel the effects of the revitalizing drink almost immediately. His deed done, he turned his attention back to his mother and the Deputy Headmistress.

Lily sighed and drank much as her son had. She was rewarded with answers. 

"You and Harry conjured up a spell that was so powerful that its effects knocked you unconscious briefly."

Lily sat up and looked around the room. "James? Where is he? Did it work?"

Dumbledore sat on the edge of her bed and took her hand. "Lily, James is not here." He sighed. "What you did, my dear, was morally and ethically wrong, though I certainly understand your reasons for doing so. You surely know that you must not ever use another witch or wizard's power for your own gain, even though you both may want the same goal." He squeezed her hand. "Let us find James for you, Lily. What happened could have killed both you and Harry. You need to learn to harness your combined power, so that accidents like this one are not a common occurrence."

Lily took in Dumbledore's words with a serious expression on her face. What he said was absolutely right. She should have never risked Harry's life to reunite their family. "I know." She turned to look at Harry and reached for his hand. "I must have lost control, Harry. I never wanted to hurt you. I just wanted to bring you your father."

Harry closed his eyes against the wave of emotion that crested over him. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse. "I know, mum. I know and understand. All I want is to be able to see my dad." A few tears fell as mother and son moved into each other's arms. They weren't complete, but they would make the most of the miracle they had been given.

~*~

Claire Potter awoke suddenly, and reached for her husband in bed. She felt the unsettling loggy feeling of a deep sleep nap, since it was so early in the evening and so far removed from her normal bedtime of midnight. She glanced at her watch, focusing on the luminous dial that bathed the room in a murky glow. 

"I had better see that the children are still asleep and that James is not brooding." Her voice sounded strange to her ears. Claire sighed long and hard, as she wondered what had happened to her marriage.

James had never been as emotionally involved as she had been with him. Claire knew and accepted that fact as a part of her life. She had fallen for him deeply and hard the first day she had found him. His confusion and panic had awakened something deep inside her, an instinct part maternal, part possessive and part carnal. She wanted to protect him, but she also wanted to make him hers. 

After a lot of soul searching and a lot of friendship, they had gotten married, but Claire knew deep in her heart that James' past life weighed heavily on his shoulders. He had never been able to open himself up and be her husband, yet he was the perfect father to the children. Claire made a small half sob as a blanket of loneliness descended upon her. She needed to be with people. Maybe she and James could have one of their neighbors watch the children while she and her husband nipped off to the pub for a short while. They needed more alone time together.

Her decision was finally made, and Claire walked out of her bedroom and to the children's room down the hall. Unlike most nights, there were no whispers and muted giggles emanating from the bedroom and she smiled, shaking her head in amusement. "Those Harry Potter books must have really exhausted them. I wonder if they are dreaming of witches and wizards even now."

She opened the door soundlessly, and peeked in. "Adam? Amanda?" she called out as she saw that their beds had been slept in but were empty. Had they gone up to their father's work area to spend some time with him? Propelled by an urgency she could not define, Claire rapidly jogged up the stairs. "James? Are Adam and Amanda with you…"

It only took a moment for her to see that the room was empty. "Where are they? Oh, they must be in the kitchen. James might be warming some milk for them."

When Claire arrived in the kitchen, she found that it, too, was empty and her nerves began to gnaw at her. "James?" she called out, hoping that he and the children were home. There was no note, had James taken the children out for something this late, he would have left her a note.

Claire sighed, torn between nervousness and annoyance. How unlike him to make her worry like this! Yet, James was not himself recently, and his attitude all evening had been atypical. She finally reached for the phone, intending to call James on his cell phone. He hated the piece of electronic equipment, but his job required that he be available and it was always turned on. Moreover, it was clipped to his wallet so that he would never forget it.

Claire dialed the number with a slightly shaking hand. "Hello….James?" Her voice turned confused. "Who is this?" She repeated the number twice, her frown growing deeper each second. "That is impossible. This is my husband's phone. I just rang him earlier today." Her breath came in hitched gasps as she listened intently to the person on the other line. "Yes, I understand. You have had this phone for over a year. Terribly sorry for bothering you," she finally said in a whisper, putting the receiver down gently. 

One solitary tear sparkled against her cheek, before slowly sliding downward. She spoke to the silent and empty house. "Who was that on your cell phone? James, what is going on? Where are you and the children? I am getting frightened."


	7. Close to home

Title: Fate's Manipulation(7/??)  
  
Author:CelticFlame  
  
Author Email:Sirius@black.org  
  
Category: Solid drama, some angst, some romance  
  
Keywords: James, Lily, return, Harry, Sirius  
  
Rating: PG13-Adult themes and emotions.  
  
Spoilers: Through POA  
  
Summary: What REALLY happened to Lily and James that fateful night? Two lost souls are trying to make their way back to Hogwarts and Harry Potter, but many obstacles stand in their way. Will the Potters get their happily ever after or is this just a cruel manipulation of fate?  
  
DISCLAIMER  
This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
I only own Claire, Amanda and Adam Potter and the plot found herein.  
  
  
  
Hello!  
I am so sorry that this has taken so long. Between trying to publish in novel length fiction and my editing commitments growing, I had to find the time for this. Thankfully, I think I can manage my spare moments a little more efficiently now YAY! and hope to post more regularly again!  
  
Thanks for waiting for this one. The posts and encouraging emails really made a huge difference to my productivity! I know that it is a little short but as a transition chapter that was necessary. I will more than make up for it in the next chapter. You can expect THE reunion among other things!  
  
Previous chapters can be found here: http://www.schnoogle.com/authorLinks/CelticFlame/Fates_Manipulation/  
  
Please tell me what you think of this one. Padfoot, my muse, is so skinny. He's been starving for feedback for months. Your feedback will be the food he needs to become strong again.  
  
  
Thanks so much for reading!  
Bree(CelticFlame)  
  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Peter Pettigrew looked up uncomfortably at the shapeless form in the shadows. Evil seeped out and blanketed the room, making it hard for Peter to breathe. "My lord? You just laughed..." He had been deep in his thoughts when the cackle from Voldemort had startled him into wakefulness.   
  
"I did." The deep voice was still a shock to Peter.   
  
Peter bit his lip as he worried his lower lip between his teeth. "Can I ask why?" Curiosity finally overrode caution.  
  
There was a heavy sigh before the weary but strengthing voice spoke again. "You are quite tiresome, Wormtail. Someday you may outlive your usefulness."  
  
Peter's nervous gulp could be heard in the sudden oppressive silence of the room. He glanced uneasily at a couple of the snakes that lounged around the room and avoided the gaze of one or two others loyal to the dark lord. They had wisely stayed quiet.  
  
Peter was so tired of this place and the Dark Lord himself. What had compelled him to rejoin a weakened Voldemort, a man who was relentlessly seeping the strength from him and the others? They would be responsible for his ultimate rise to renewed power. They would also be a necessary sacrifice.  
  
He sighed. This was so tiring. They had been trapped within these walls for days, maybe weeks. Peter no longer comprehended the passage of time. He existed on a diet of rats and other small animals. Rats! His lip curled in disgust and he tried to make sure that his face was hidden in the shadows. Voldemort had enjoyed the irony of that. Consume thyself, Peter often heard as hunger drove him to the disgusting but life-sustaining act.  
  
The Dark Lord's voice broke into his thoughts, causing Peter to jump to attention.  
  
"Nevertheless, I will indulge you this one time." Voldemort continued. "I felt a ripple of power from the vicinity of Hogsmeade. Someone is trying to join or reunite their magic with another." The voice let out a huge sigh. "They amuse me with their puny attempts at power." He motioned to Pettigrew. "Make haste. Find out who it is and what they attempt to achieve."  
  
"Y-yes, my lord." Pettigrew whispered before scurrying out of the room. He was far too weak to apparate so he would have to fly to Hogsmeade in the dark, which was something that he never relished. At least he was out of that room. Voldemort's oppressive presence made the very room itself intolerable. The smell of decay lay heavy in the air and evil simmered under the surface in that place. "Perhaps I will never return. I could just disappear tonight." Peter shuddered at the ring of confidence in his voice. He could never be that strong and he well knew it. He was bound to the dark lord until death freed him.   
  
"You have already been marked," he told the unknown person he sought in a sad tone. "You should just submit to him." He grabbed his ragged broom and soared into the air after a weak kick off from the ground.  
  
The winds were with him and Peter flew easily for some time. Even this he could barely manage. His strength was waning every day. Peter's upper lip curled into a snarl as he remembered that the Dark Lord rarely took as much from the others as he did from him. "He wants me to be the weakest." Peter realized in a moment of clarity.   
  
As he neared Hosmeade, Peter descended so that he barely skimmed the tops of some of the largest trees. He deliberately gave Hogwarts a wide berth, trying not to think of the pieces of his life that were still there. Though he missed his former life, he knew that it and those in it were his past. He would not bring any danger to them and if it took dying to insure their safety, he would go to his grave secure in the knowledge that he had for once done the right thing.  
  
There! That had to be someone involved in the magic! She had a sense of great power around her though she wandered the back streets of Hogsmeade as if she were lost. Had the magic caused her some senseless moments? If so...Peter knew that she was dealing with the powerful and ancient magic that only the purest of purebloods could direct and control.  
  
His broom lurched and bucked as he tried to control final descent. When he was only fifteen feet above her, Peter lost control and sent them both tumbling to the packed earth path that lined the back of some of the shops.  
  
"Terribly sorry." His voice was meek as he stood quickly and brushed off his already filthy clothes.  
  
Claire stared at the man in shock. Where had he come from? She had been walking for ages it seemed. First, she had been in her house in London. Then, se opened the door and the world had swirled around her. She must have been in a fugue state or unconscious, she had told herself.  
  
When Claire had come to herself again, she had been in a medium sized village that was lit by what appeared to be freely floating candles. Claire had moved closer to examine this but hadn't been able to find any evidence of support. As impossible as it seemed, the candles seemed to be floating in midair.  
  
Panic rose deep in her and Claire began walking swiftly toward a lane of shops. She stopped still when she spied their names. The Three Broomsticks? Gladrags Wizardwear? Dervish and Banges? What were these places? She peered into the window of the one called Gladrags Wizardwear, studying robes of all sizes and colors. "Wizardwear?" She shrugged. Her unease was growing. It seemed vital that she get out of sight immediately so she rounded the corner to a small service alleyway behind the shops.  
  
She had heard a whistling sound before something landed full force on her. As she scrambled out from under the moving thing, her terror rose again. "Please don't touch me." She moved back rapidly in a defensive stance.   
  
The man's clothes were torn and wrinkled. His garment may have once been light in color, but age and dirt had turned it a dingy muddy brown. It looked somewhat like the garments she had seen in the window of the shop. He had a nervous way about him that strangely mustered protectiveness in her. That plus his pale and wan appearance had her wondering if he was as lost as she was. Still, here was help, however unexpected. There was a possibility, however slight, that he could help her to find her family and get home.  
  
Something nagged at Claire and she looked around. The alleyway was rather wide but was entirely enclosed by shops on one side and the backs of houses on the other. She glanced at a broken old-fashioned broomstick lying near the man and wrapped her arms around herself. Things were going from strange to bizarre very quickly and she absolutely hated being on the ignorant end of a situation. Though her panic was ever present, she gathered herself to speak firmly to the man. "Where did you come from and who are you?"  
  
  
~*~  
Hagrid was somewhat surprised when he heard the man say his name. He hadn't been watching him carefully; no his eyes had been on the children that the man had brought into the Leaky Cauldron. This wasn't a place for children at night and those children were not clothed for the cold. Still, muggles didn't seem know too much at times so maybe this was the way of their world.  
  
He had given the man a dirty look and shook his head before turning back to the table of old friends playing cards, but when the bartender had started harassing the muggle, he had to step in. He still hadn't looked closely at the intruder, preferring instead to keep his eyes on the bartender. Martin was an old friend but could get a bit crotchety and tonight after he had served a bad batch of Moonbeam Ale and only barely avoided a riot, he was in no mood to be patient.  
  
There had been something familiar and intriguing in the man's voice and in the way he spoke about their money. Though his back was to Hagrid, he had stopped the card game. Good thing too, as he had had to break up what could have been a confrontation between the newcomer and Martin. Hagrid had been glad to pay the money for the young pups to have something to drink.  
  
When the man said his name, Hagrid turned to look at him. As he studied his face for a shocked moment, everything came together. His eyes widened and a big grin began to spread across his face. "I don't believe it. Look at this mates! 'Ere you are, James P---" Hagrid blinked a few times in shock when the man--- could it really be James--- planted a hand over his mouth.  
  
" 'ere you. Let go of Hagrid." The bartender looked at James menacingly.   
  
James turned to look at Hagrid. "I'm going to take my hand away. Maybe you and I can discuss this elsewhere?" His tone was hopeful and he gave the larger man an encouraging look. "I am who I am, Hagrid, and I have a great deal to discuss with you. Perhaps we can do it more privately?"  
  
Hagrid's eyes widened and he mumbled something unintelligible around James' hand. James gave him a sheepish smile and moved his hand away. "Sorry about that," he said quietly. He nearly stumbled to the floor when Hagrid clapped a giant hand across his back.  
  
"No harm done, James. I want to know all about how ye..." he stopped at James; warning look. "Right." His eyes moved across to the bartender. "Martin, I'd like to take one of yer rooms. The wee bairns need their rest." He glanced at James for approval and smiled when the man nodded encouragingly.  
  
The bartender seemed a bit more skeptical. "Hagrid, are you sure?" The large man nodded and held out his hand for the key. "Martin, the wee ones need their rest. Can you bring us up some tea." He ignored the guffaws of some of the rougher customers and turned to James. "I can carry the bairn upstairs for ye?"  
  
James turned his gaze upon his children and motioned to his daughter. "Thank you old friend." He lifted Adam into his arms and followed Hagrid and the bartender to a room. As soon as the door closed, he allowed himself to breathe a huge sigh of relief. He gently lowered Adam onto a bed.  
  
"Daddy?" Adam's eyes fluttered open.   
  
"Right here." James smoothed his son's hair back. "Get some sleep, Adam. Everything is ok. I will be right here."  
  
Adam's sleepy eyes focused on Hagrid and he smiled. "Keep Hagrid here, daddy," he mumbled before his eyes drifted shut and his breathing evened out.  
  
James watched Hagrid place Amanda gently beside Adam and ran a distracted hand through his hair. It was time to face what had happened just now and in the past. He stood silently as the bartender poured the tea then departed and watched Hagrid throw the deadbolt with a small nod of satisfaction. When the older man's eyes met his, James was shocked to see that Hagrid was quietly crying.  
  
"It is you. It really is!" Hagrid gathered James close in a crushing hug. He mussed James' hair. Small hitched in his voice alerted James to the fact that the other man was still quite emotional.  
  
"It is." James said finally. Even though he was a man well grown, the comforting reassurance of familiarity was quite welcomed. He and Hagrid stood together for some moments in silence, each of them absorbing what was a huge shock to each other.  
  
Finally, Hagrid released James and gave him a searching look. "Where 'ave ye been, James. Harry had a terrible time. He thinks that you and Lily are dead. Everyone does." Hagrid gave James a piercing gaze. "Where is Lily?"  
  
James studied the table and shook his head. "Voldemort got her." James said quietly. "I saw her fall, just before he turned his wand on me Hagrid. She's gone."  
  
Hagrid absorbed this news silently and wiped a tear away. "She was good people, James." He began before clapping a hand on the other man's shoulder. James turned into the comfort of the large form and gave Hagrid a huge hug.  
  
"Thank you. She was..." He trailed off, unable to continue. He tried to focus on his children as Hagrid stepped back, but found that he was crying to hard to allow his sight to clear. "She was everything."   
  
Hagrid too turned his eyes to the sleeping children. "Not everything." As James nodded, Hagrid sighed heavily and whistled for one of the Hogwarts owls. James slowly composed himself as an owl came and Hagrid began digging around for some parchment and a quill.  
  
"Who are you contacting, the ministry or Dumbledore?"  
  
"Dumbledore. The ministry ain't what it usedta be James. But I didn't say that." He frowned in concentration. "I better not tell him too much in case someone finds the owl." He scribbled frantically then looked up to James. "Ye feel up to a trip to Hogwarts? Dumbledore will have a lot of questions for ye and the bairns will be safe there."  
  
"Safe." James echoed with a nod, wishing that he had read more of the books that his children brought home. "How bad is it out there? Are we safe here?"  
  
Hagrid shrugged. "Much as I'd like to say Yes, James, nowhere is safe. It's as bad as when ye were in school. If they knew ye were here ye'd be a target."  
  
James had feared this. He nodded grimly and looked around the room. "Hagrid can you manage to get the children some warm cloaks. Forget the owl. If you can take Amanda, I will take Adam. Can we take the Floo to Hogsmeade?"  
  
"We can." Hagrid nodded and rustled in a closet. He rummaged for a few minutes before pulling out a slightly moth-eaten but otherwise sturdy blanket. He handed it to James who studied it for a minute. James found a weak seam and began tearing the blanket into two. Hagrid wanted to speak but waited until James was staring at both halves of the blanket in satisfaction.  
  
"Why didn't ye use a spell?"  
  
James flushed. "I've been without it for so long. I wasn't sure I could do what I needed to do." Hagrid's eyes widened and James nodded. "I wasn't able to use my magic where I was. It's a long story and I'll be glad to tell it, but we need to be away from here, Hagrid. I have a feeling that we need to get to Hogwarts immediately."  
  
The unsettled feeling grew rapidly in James until he was almost panicked. He moved quickly to the bed and gently shook the children awake,  
  
"Dad?" Amanda asked, looking first to the comforting form of her father and then with some wonder to Hagrid. "Is that really Hagrid?"  
  
"It is." James confirmed. "I'll explain everything later. I know that it doesn't make any sense at all, but it is very important that you hang on for me, just a little longer."  
  
Adam held his father's hand. "Daddy is mummy here? I want mummy." The whine that James knew precluded tears was in his son's voice. In response to that, he pulled Adam into a tight hug.  
  
"Mummy isn't here Adam. We have to take a very short trip. Is that ok with you?" James almost lost control when he felt Adam shudder and sob against his chest. He was frantic with worry for Claire. How would she react when she found out that he and the children weren't home anymore?  
  
James sat on the bed and quietly and rocked his son as Hagrid helped Amanda fashion the blanket into a warm cloak. He reached around Adam and tucked the blanket tightly around the little boy. "Adam, we must go now. I will hold you all the while. Hagrid, where is it? Downstairs?"  
  
Hagrid nodded. He wasn't allowed to travel on the Floo under normal circumstances, but these, he reasoned, were far from normal circumstances. "They 'ave a meeting room that is connected to the Floo." He regarded James. "You said yer magic was gone. Can ye manage the Floo?"  
  
James set his jaw and nodded. "I can and will. Shall we go Hagrid? We need to get the children to safety."  
  
"And there are a lot of questions to be answered." Hagrid followed James out of the room, wondering what surprises were yet to come. 


	8. Just a Floo away

My goodness, it has again been ages since I updated. I never want to be this slow to upload, but then the months slip by!  
  
I won't promise you that I'll update this quickly, but I will tell you that I'll do my best. Since the next chapter will be HUGE and have a large payoff (Yes James and Harry finally 'meet'), I'm sure that the writing bug will keep its hold on me! Please email me and yell at me if I don't update quickly. That motivation really helps!  
  
Life has settled down significantly and now that I'm working as an editor, I feel the need to make the time to write every day. This story is never far from my thoughts!  
  
Thanks for sticking with me and please tell me that you're still here! Padfoot, my muse, and I miss hearing from you!  
  
Thanks eternally for reading!! Bree Sirius@black.org  
  
Chapter 8 "That was wicked," Ron breathed as he, Hermione and Ginny crossed the campus slowly. None of them seemed to be in any hurry to return to their dorms. This revelation and their bond to Harry led to an innate protectiveness. They knew that this news had to remain their secret, lest they bring danger to their friend and his newly returned mother, but the knowledge of a secret this amazing led them to want to discuss it at length.  
  
Hermione nodded pensively. "We should do something special for them. We obviously can't celebrate in an outrageous manner, but we should let Harry know how happy we are for him."  
  
Ginny looked long and hard at her brother and Hermione. "I haven't much money, but perhaps we could get them something in Hogsmeade. Something small, but meaningful at the same time. We could go now and give it to them tomorrow."  
  
"Hogsmeade?" Hermione's eyes widened. "We might get in heaps of trouble if we're caught!"  
  
Ron rolled his eyes and clapped a hand around Hermione's shoulder. "Who's here to catch us? Hagrid is away and they're all busy there." He waved his hand toward the cottage. "If we're caught, all we have to say is that Dumbledore sent for us. It's bloody brilliant."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Am I to believe then that you, Ronald Weasley, are only interested in helping to get Harry a gift? Could it be the lure of the forbidden?"  
  
Ron shook his head and tried to look innocent. "I just want to make it better for Harry." He shot a warning glance at Ginny, which then transformed into one of encouragement.  
  
Ginny echoed Ron's encouraging look. "It would be a wonderful thing to do for Harry. Do you have much money, Hermione?"  
  
Hermione nodded. "I have three sickles that I can contribute, but I just don't think that we should go to Hogsmeade." She looked at Ginny and Ron. "Have you any money that you can contribute?" She asked this question in a gentle tone.  
  
Ron flashed her a smile. "As a matter of fact, I do." He rummaged in his pocket and pulled out two gold coins surrounded by a few silver ones. He shrugged and gave the girls a sheepish smile. "I won a bet with the twins."  
  
Hermione looked at the coins and nodded in satisfaction. "This gives us a great place to start."  
  
"I have this." Ginny spoke up timidly and slipped a gold coin into Hermione's hand as well. "Mum wanted me to get some more hair ribbons, but Harry and his mum are much more important."  
  
Hermione met Ginny's eyes, aware of the younger girl's proud bearing and the tilt of her chin. She struggled to find the right words for a few moments. "Thank you, Ginny." She sighed. "Why are we risking this right now? It isn't as if Harry and his mum will see us tonight. They're busy."  
  
Ron merely rolled his eyes. "Yes, but Harry might be back tonight and it would be nice to do something for our best friend." He shrugged, clearly out of words.  
  
Ginny's face furrowed for a few minutes. "I think Ron just wants Harry to know that we're here for him. That he doesn't have to go through all of this alone. We won't get caught, Hermione. We'll be there and back very quickly." She paused for a few moments. "This is such an important thing for Harry. Our support would be a great help."  
  
Hermione let a hugely dramatic sigh escape. "If we're going to do this, and I have no doubt that you both will not be swayed, shall we get started? It will soon be dark and I don't want to be on the streets of Hogsmeade then. It wouldn't be safe."  
  
Ron arched an auburn brow and gave Ginny a smile of satisfaction. That had been much easier than anticipated. "After you, girls," he said grandly, then hurried after their trotting forms. "Hey! Wait for me!"  
  
~*~  
  
Sirius motioned Remus away from Harry and Lily. Mother and son were holding each other tight and Sirius couldn't shake the feeling that they were all intruding. As Remus broke away and hefted the orb, the others soon followed. Snape hovered near Lily and Harry, while the others gathered in a loose circle. Dumbledore and McGonagall looked pensive while Remus and Sirius were obviously much more agitated.  
  
Sirius extended his hand, motioning to the orb that Remus held firmly. "May I?" His voice was hoarse and his eyes glinted with barely restrained tears. Remus nodded. Sirius had suffered as much as Harry had in his own way. Remus offered the orb carefully, afraid that it might shatter if dropped.  
  
As Sirius' hand clasped around the orb, he felt a distinct shock rocket through his body. "Remus?" He nearly let go of the orb, but forced himself to hang on even though the shock intensified. The hands of both men tightened around the orb, but even as their knuckles whitened, they did not dream of letting go.  
  
"I know." Remus' voice tightened in pain. He blinked rapidly, aware of Sirius' discomfort as well. His vision swam for a few moments but then.  
  
"What's this?" His voice took on an excited edge as blue-tinged mist began streaming out of the orb in a small column. The mist rose to eye level before slowly coalescing into a form. The form stayed complete for only a moment before dissipating and spreading throughout the room.  
  
Sirius and Remus stayed focused on the mist even as the form melted away. "Sirius? Could you see him?" Even though Remus knew that the mist had no solid form, he could not resist touching the wisps as they floated in the air.  
  
Sirius gulped and nodded. He shot a wary glance at Harry and Lily. "I saw him," he confirmed in a low voice.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "What exactly did you see?" He looked from Remus to Sirius and back again.  
  
"James." Both men replied in unison and met each other's eyes in shock. "You saw him too?" They each spared the briefest of smiles for the other, before turning back to the others.  
  
When Dumbledore quirked a silver eyebrow and McGonagall clasped her hand over her mouth to stifle her gasp, Remus moved back a few steps and relinquished his hold on the orb. Sirius cradled it to his chest protectively and nodded in encouragement as Remus began to speak.  
  
"I saw James in profile." His tone was hushed. "It was an older James, what I would expect him to look like today. He was in the shadow of a big man, but I couldn't ascertain any of the other man's features. I got the sense that there were others around." He looked at Sirius for clarification. "Did you see something I might have missed?"  
  
Sirius nodded slowly. His gaze never moved from the orb. "He looked troubled and anxious. There was some sort of danger shadowing him. We have to find him. What if someone else finds him first?" His gaze sharpened on the orb and stress forced his voice to rise in volume as well as tone. "Tell us where the bloody hell he is! Let me bloody well right the wrongs that my mistakes created!"  
  
Remus quickly wrapped an arm around Sirius and absently toyed with the other man's hair. "Stay calm, my friend." As Sirius began breathing more deeply, Remus rubbed his shoulders. "We will find him, my friend. He's out there and we'll bring him back to Lily and Harry, to all of us."  
  
"May you rot in hell if we are unsuccessful," Sirius bit out to the orb. The anger and fight went right out of him with that declaration and he allowed Remus to comfort him. As Sirius turned to Remus, he muffled an apology against the other man's shoulder.  
  
Lily's head snapped up as Sirius' angrily spoken phrase reached her ears. She started to move then thought the better of it and kept her arms securely around Harry. As her eyes moved across the room, she met the level gaze of Snape.  
  
"What does it all mean?" she asked as she searched his black eyes.  
  
Severus shook his head briefly. "I don't know what to tell you, Lily." He took a deep breath and glanced down to the young man entwined with Lily. His eyes became sad as he moved closer to caress her hand gently. His expression turned positively lost when he brushed a fingertip over her wet cheek. With infinite tenderness, he brought a single tear to his mouth and kissed the tip of his finger reverently. Lily's gasp was no surprise to him. Maybe she had never known the depth of his feelings for her.  
  
"Just be happy, Lily. I brought you back here so that you could attain the happiness that he had stolen from you. I cannot stay any longer, but you can find me if you wish to do so. You are always welcome." With that, he turned around and left the dwelling.  
  
~*~  
  
Hogsmeade  
  
When the man didn't answer her question, Claire tried again. "Where did you come from and who are you?" She couldn't keep the tremor out of her voice. This place was full of strange and inexplicable things. The strange shop names, the strangely floating lights, men falling out of the skies, and the fact that her husband and children were missing conspired to have Claire in a highly emotional state. The fact that this man wasn't talking served only to add to her panic.  
  
"Talk to me!" She winced at the stutter that her panic had infused into her voice. She stepped back a few paces and wrapped her arms around herself. Icy panic coursed through her, but she wanted answers before she retreated to somewhere safer. If such a place could be found in this strange village.  
  
Peter looked up at the woman and gulped. When he had first spied her, she had looked of magic, but at a closer look her clothes, her bearing were entirely Muggle. So, what was a Muggle doing here so close to the magic? She obviously wasn't magic, so why did she have this magic aura around her, Peter wondered. It clung to her like a second skin. Something seemed very bizarre about all of this.  
  
He cringed a little as her voice rose. Deep inside him, he assessed her panic and confusion. "I- I came from a long way away. My master," he winced at the use of that particular word, "err.my boss sent me here to investigate something strange."  
  
Claire met the meek man's eyes. "Investigate? Are you a constable?"  
  
He flushed. "Something like that."  
  
Claire latched on to the familiarity of the man's professional position. "Oh thank goodness!" She clutched at his arm. "The lights! The lights float. The shops have all manner of items. It is all so bizarre and so foreign to me!"  
  
Peter bit his lip and wondered how to answer. After a few moments of silence, he felt the tension in the woman increasing again and knew that he had to speak. "Yes, this is a strange place," he agreed. "Where are you from? Can I help you find your way home?" If the dark lord sensed her, she would likely be a Death Eater play-toy and he felt strangely protective over this vulnerable Muggle stranger.  
  
Claire let out a brittle laugh. "If I knew my way home, I would go there." She blinked back tears. "I tried to ring my husband, but someone else answered his mobile. They said that he didn't own the number. I checked the number and it was correct!" She choked off some tears. "My husband and children are missing and I've gone from London to this place." She waved her hand in an expansive gesture. "This place is abandoned."  
  
Peter shook his head. "It isn't. Everyone must be in the shops. It isn't safe to be out in the evening. We need to find you some place to stay."  
  
Claire gave him a long look. "I would like to go home. I don't want to stay here. You haven't explained any of this to me. Where am I and why are these things so different? It's as if this village is out of a bloody book!"  
  
She stopped still, her mouth gaping. As she looked around and took in the man in front of her, everything crystallized. She clutched at Peter's arm. "Do you know a little boy named Harry?"  
  
Peter gasped at her words, torn between wanting to protect her and wanting to grasp this morsel of information. His survival instinct won out. As he nervously fondled a small purse, he gave her a small smile.  
  
"Why, yes I do. Harry Potter he is. Do you know him?" Newfound confidence infused his voice.  
  
Claire gasped for air and clutched her throat. The still night air seemed to roar around her and darkness fell as she began to sag to the ground. "No, it can't be."  
  
With a sudden burst of energy, Peter lunged for the woman. "All right. Easy there." His decision was made for him. "'Ere then. Let's get you a drink or something."  
  
Claire nodded mutely and allowed herself to be led to a pub.  
  
This is my chance, Peter thought as he tried to hide a grateful smile. The idea that he might get a warm meal had him almost giddy. He held the woman's elbow securely and led her to the Three Broomsticks. The atmosphere of the pub would be much preferable to The Hog's Head. With his other hand, he clutched a small enchanted purse given to him by Voldemort. He did not dare use this purse unless absolutely necessary. The dark lord's other minions would see that he would pay for any lapses in judgement.  
  
But this, this was a gift that had tumbled into his lap and he was not going to ignore it. He needed to get information from her, information that he could use to further his place at the dark lord's side. Peter tamped down a rush of guilt that assailed him. It was all about survival, and after the sacrifices he had made, he was entitled. He glanced at his hand and tried not to focus on the hated spot where his finger used to be.  
  
"Come with me." Peter opened the door to the pub and escorted her in. He hadn't the extra energy to conceal himself, so he just pulled his cloak tight over his head. The woman gave him an uncertain look, but whatever questions she may have asked were lost as she surveyed the room.  
  
What was this place? Claire glanced around and tried not to panic even further. The people here were quite unique. They wore all sorts of brightly colored garments. "Robes," she breathed. Her stunned mind struggled to make sense of all the strange happenings in the village. Where was she? Every possible solution was too fanciful, too outrageous to consider.  
  
Claire tried to steady her trembling body as she settled into a chair across from the now cloaked man. Harry Potter. James.Potter? Claire choked on a gasp as she pictured her husband. Glasses, oft- mussed dark hair. Thin but muscular and rangy form. Claire shook her head firmly. It was a coincidence, It HAD to be a coincidence. How many Potters were there in London alone? She could not, absolutely could NOT have somehow traveled to the setting of a book. It was fiction after all! That settled, she let out a small laugh at her fanciful notions. There had to be a logical explanation for this and she would discover it.  
  
"Are you still feeling poorly?" Peter studied the muggle carefully. A myriad of emotions played over her face and he found himself wondering what she was thinking.  
  
Claire set her expression and shrugged, just as a woman came over to them.  
  
"What would you like?" The woman wore russet robes. She spared Claire a small look and studied the cloak-clad figure more closely.  
  
Peter gulped before ordering for them both. "A gillywater for the lady. I'd like a butterbeer. We would also like two serves of your nightly special. What is that?"  
  
The serving woman consulted a parchment. "We've got lamb stew."  
  
"Great." Peter knew that the relief in his voice was easily heard, but he didn't care. The thought of dining well was intoxicating to him. First, he would eat, then he would interrogate the Muggle. Only after he had his answers would he dispose of her. He tried to ignore the rush of guilt at the thought of hurting her.  
  
~*~  
  
James, Hagrid and the now-sleeping children had worked their way back downstairs. Hagrid had disappeared to have a whispered conversation with the barman. All James could comprehend was the urgency in Hagrid's voice. The conversation had lasted just long enough for James to begin worrying what Hagrid might be telling the barman. His beloved giant of a friend was not typically known for keeping a secret well. Perhaps things have changed, James thought. He was started when a heavy hand clamped onto his shoulder and shifted Amanda, whom Hagrid had hurriedly deposited in his free arm.  
  
"Hagrid? Is everything in order? You haven't told him who I am, have you?" James hated to ask the question, but had to ease his mind.  
  
"Never you worry." The hand on James's shoulder squeezed almost gently. "I only told him we needed ta use the Floo."  
  
James nodded and breathed out deeply. Hagrid gathered Amanda back in his arms and brushed her hair back gently. "I been thinking, James, and I think we ought to use the Floo connected to the post office. The Hog's Head has a Floo but it's a rough place, and there might be questions if we flooed to the Three Broomsticks. The post office will be closed now. The only one there will be Joclyn and he's deeply in his cups."  
  
James nodded, focusing only on the small pot that Hagrid held. Now that the time was near, he was panicked. Could he do this? Would the magic come back to him or would he forever be caught between the two very different worlds that had been his life?  
  
Again, he felt Hagrid's hand on his shoulder. "It'll come back to ye, James. Have faith. Ye've still got it in yer blood. You was always one of the best."  
  
James offered a tumultuous smile to the older man. "Always a faithful friend, Hagrid." He took a deep breath and held Adam even more tightly with one arm, while slowly reaching for a pinch of Floo powder with the other. "All right, then. I'm ready." 


	9. The Door to Forever

Fate's Manipulation Chapter 9 

"'ogsmeade post office." James heard the words a moment before he saw Hagrid and Amanda disappear in a flash of green smoke.

"I can do this." He swallowed hard and gave the bartender an uncertain smile. The problem was James wasn't entirely sure that he could summon his magic back from wherever it had been hiding. A _lumos _didn't make him a wizard again after all these years. The Floo would be his first true test and if he failed, he could be putting Adam into a dangerous situation. 

James let out a long breath, and tapped the wand against his side, thankful that it had made the trip with him. He didn't know why he had carried it, but the weight was familiar and calming, even as his unease continued to grow. He had to get Adam to safety, now.

He grabbed another pinch of Floo powder, realizing that in his haste to check on his wand, he had scattered the first pinch. He tossed the powder. "Hogsmeade post office!" The tremors in his voice might be his undoing, he knew, as the green smoke obscured everything and a sense of dizziness overcame him.

James landed hard on the dirt floor of the owl post office. He took the brunt of the fall 

on his back to make sure Adam didn't suffer any injury. Shaking off his pain, he stood and looked around for Hagrid and Amanda. Instead of soothing his sense of urgency, every nerve ending was charged with the purely animal instinct to run away from something unseen, something that raised the hair on the back of his neck and took his breath away.

"Hagrid?"

"Oy! Over 'ere." Hagrid was nearly obscured by the rows upon rows of owls who sat on their perches hooting curiously at the disturbance. James couldn't see any sign of the after-hours caretaker. He cleared his throat cautiously, then moved forward. As Hagrid's features became clearer, James was surprised to see that the giant looked ill at ease as well, but somehow that justified his own unease. "Did ye have any problems, James?"

James winced at the sound of his own name spoken in Hagrid's booming tone. Maybe he was being far too paranoid, but he had always learned to trust his instincts and now they were screaming at him to beware, that danger lurked around every corner. "We're fine. Could I ask a favor? Something seems off here. Please don't call me James."

Hagrid gave him a contemplative smile and nodded wisely. "You feel it too? Darkness in the shadows…or somethin'." The giant shrugged. "I'll call ye Adam's pa. That should do it." He peered out the small window and was silent for a few moments. 

James joined him at the window. "We need to get by The Three Broomsticks. Can we do that quietly?" He tried to remember the intricacies of Hogsmeade's layout but time was his enemy. He could barely call up the roughest of mental maps. Then he smiled as he looked across the lane, where lights winked inside a shop. "Honeydukes is open this evening. The basement, the trap door. We could get to Hogwarts from there."

Hagrid merely arched an eyebrow but motioned James out first.

~*~

"I still think this is a bad idea," Hermione said quietly. She hadn't protested too much as Ginny and Ron appealed to her to leave the Hogwarts campus, but as they passed The Three Broomsticks, her nervousness grew. There were very few shops open in the evening. The taverns were sure to be doing a bustling business but other than that, the streets looked quiet, almost deserted. Hermione had been shocked when Ron and Ginny walked into Honeydukes. How had they even known the sweet shop would be open this time of night?

"So what should we get her?" Ron's voice rang in Hermione's ears. They were the only customers at this hour and the proprietors had left them to browse.

"Definitely some chocolate," Ginny asserted. "And I think we should get some chocoballs and maybe even some fruity honey sticks, to flavor her tea and…" Ginny trailed off with a frustrated sigh. "I don't know. The wizarding world hasn't the perfect welcome home gift for…well...in these circumstances."

Hermione made a face. "We haven't anything of the sort in the Muggle world either, Ginny. This isn't something that often happens."

Ron's frown was obvious, and his mood established as he raked a hand through his hair. "So what do we do then? Do we buy her a book?" Hermione's face lit up at that and Ron let out a frustrated growl. "Or clothes, what do we know about clothes anyway? This is the best idea I've got."

Ginny placed a hand on her brother's shoulder. "Ron, it's a wonderful idea. I know she'll appreciate having some of her favorite sweets. I'm sure she doesn't expect presents and anything at all will be a wonderful surprise." She shot an imploring look to Hermione, asking without words for the older girl to help out.

Hermione stepped up to the counter and pulled down some vibrantly colored nougat. "Fruit nougat, this is a start. Fudge and chocolate and chocoballs and honey sticks will make a wonderful welcome home basket. She isn't concerned about gifts, Ron. She's just glad to be back where she belongs. I know it."

Ron looked between his sister and his friend. "All right then." He counted out change and called for Mr. Honeyduke who finished their transaction with a smile.

"What's all this for?" He packed their purchases in a pretty basket.

The proprietor hadn't commented when the three students walked in but he seemed mildly interested in them now. 

Hermione broke the silence with her most adult smile. "A dear friend's mum has been ill, and we offered to get her some treats."

"With our own money," Ron added. "And we don't have much of it."

Ginny turned a glare on her brother. "Ron, that was rude! Apologize."

Ron flushed and scuffed his foot on the floor. "Sorry." He looked up to find the man smiling at them.

"Perfectly all right, lad. Here, take something for yourselves." He gestured to a small basket of sweets. "One here for each of you. My dinner's cooking so I'd best be off. See yourselves out." Even as he waved them toward the door, he was disappearing up the stairs to his above-store flat.

"Thank you!" Ron grabbed a chocolate frog and started for the door, only to find himself knocked flat on his back when a new arrival stormed in.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" Ron squinted up at the tall figure who had something in his arms. Another man stood in the shadows, his arms weighed down with something as well. Were those people they were holding? Students maybe?

"Sorry 'bout that. Ron?" Hagrid shook his head. "You ought not to be out this late. And what are ye doing in Hogsmeade anyway?" When the other man cleared his throat, Hagrid shook his head. "Nevermind. Just get back to school, eh?"

"But Hagrid," Hermione piped up. "We have something to tell you." She tried to get a glimpse of the other man, who shrank back further into the shadows. "What are you doing here?"

Hagrid shook his head firmly. "Come an' see me tomorrow. Can't talk now. You have to go. You shouldn't be here. Do I hafta tell Professor Dumbledore that you were here alone?"

The three students looked at each other in confusion for a moment, then rushed out.

~*~

"Students?" James asked Hagrid quietly. He and his friends had been rather daring in their day, but to be out and about in Hogsmeade and so calm about it…well that deserved some respect.

"Yeh, they uh…Well they shouldn't be out." His conflicted gaze met James' eyes.

"Do you want to go after them? I can manage with the kids." 

For a moment, James thought Hagrid would do just that and in a strange way, he understood. Hagrid had always been worried about the students. 

"No, James. I'm here with you now," Hagrid lowered his voice and clapped a huge paw on James' shoulder. "I'm still feeling that strange thing and we gotta get to Hogwarts. I got just the place for yeh."

James nodded and quietly negotiated the wooden steps. When they we're finally in the cellar, the store to the shop closed above them, he began to breathe more easily. "What place is that?"

"Dumbledore had a cottage, that he used to use…" 

James nodded. "I remember it well. That will do." He tried to shift Adam and get to his wand, but his many years away from magic made his movements awkward.

"Let me." Hagrid said a quiet word and soon the path was lit by a small but steady beam of light.

"They reinstated your magic?" James asked.

Hagrid cleared his throat and nodded enthusiastically but was otherwise silent for some long moments.

"Oh. That's bloody fantastic." James gave the other man a fond smile and fell into step behind the giant. They were silent for a few minutes as they began the walk to the castle.

"Thanks. You're a good mate, James."

"So are you, Hagrid, so are you."

~*~

Claire ate her stew in silence, sitting across from the Constable. She really wasn't very hungry but from the intense look in the man's eyes, she knew that she was expected to eat. He was looking at her in a most disconcerting way, though. As if it wasn't bad enough that he had made an absolute mess of his soup, he seemed determined to set her nerves on edge with his behavior.

"Are you through?" He was almost salivating over her food. Claire pushed the bowl toward him and shrank back as he lunged for a loaf of bread. 

"Yes I'm…there you go." She turned away. The sounds of him devouring the food were almost too much for her strained nerves. "You look like a man who hasn't eaten in weeks." 

His eyes burned with emotion…the intensity was almost frightening. For the first time, she feared for her safety while here with him. What if he wasn't as he appeared? Claire gave Peter a soothing smile. "There, go on." He seemed to be waiting for a signal from her and when it was received, he dug back in.

Claire shuddered. This was all so strange and Peter's disturbing behavior added to her unease. She felt lost in this frightening world. How could she meet the practicalities of this place? Where would she stay? Was her family safe? Would she ever see her children again?

Stay? What if she couldn't get home? Panic rushed through her again and she drummed her fingers on the table nervously.

"What's the matter?" Peter stopped slurping for a moment to look at her. Dribbles of soup ran down his chin to splatter on a worn and slightly stained shirt and waistcoat of some sort. It was so old fashioned and so out of place for a modern constable.

"You're not really a constable, are you?" When he shook his head regretfully, she stood. "Then I can't be here with you until you tell me the truth."  
  
"Y—you have to stay." Peter jumped up and clasped her arm.

"No," Claire said evenly, pulling her arm away. "No, I don't have to stay. Have a nice meal, Peter. And thank you for your help, but I can manage from here."

Peter stared in horror as the woman walked away. He reached into the enchanted purse and tossed some money on the table. She couldn't get away. She was the key to getting new information. She was the key to his life.

He'd have to accelerate his plan. He'd catch her before she left the Three Broomsticks, then he'd have kill her.

~*~

"What was that all about?" Hermione turned to look back at the nearly deserted store. She couldn't even see shadows in the windows. Hagrid seems to be carrying something or someone, and who was the man that stood behind him? This was a night of mysteries and Hermione was starting to feel unsettled by it all.

"I don't know." Ginny shook her head. "Hagrid seemed almost mean."

"Not mean exactly, but he wasn't patient and he's always patient with us. I wonder what that was all about."

" Does it really matter?" Ron asked. "Come on, walk faster. Hagrid might snitch on us. We have to get back to Hogwarts before him."

Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Ron, his legs are enormously long. He'll get back long before we do, even if we run, and we can't very well run with this basket."

Ron considered this information. "I guess you're right. How many house points will we lose?"

"Maybe none," Ginny put in. "The headmaster knows how we came to be here. Surely, that counts for something."

Ron sighed. "Don't count on it. Harry isn't with us and that means a lot." He continued to hurry along but stopped when a woman stumbled into his path just outside The Three Broomsticks.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ron reached out to steady her but was shocked when she pulled back.

"Let me guess, you must be a Weasley." Her voice was brittle.

"Um…yes," Ron glanced at Hermione and Ginny.

"I figured as much." The woman ran a hand through her hair. "Will Harry Bloody Potter be showing up soon?"

Ron edged closer to his sister and Hermione, ready to protect them if the need arose. He didn't know what to say to this obviously disturbed woman.

The door to The Three Broomsticks crashed open and a man stumbled out.

"Get away, Peter!" The woman's voice rose in panic and fear.

'Peter', Hermione mouthed in horror. He hadn't seen them yet, but it was just a matter of time. Whatever was happening here, they didn't want any part of it. She met Ron's eyes and nodded. Quickly, the three of them slipped away and began running toward Hogwarts as silently as they could.

~*~

Peter's whole world was focused on Claire. He shook his head sorrowfully. "I can't. I need some information from you." He didn't want to kill her, blast it all. Could he just get the information from her and be gone? She didn't deserve to die, did she? He was tired of the killings. There had to be a way out…

Claire blinked at him in shock. "I don't know where I am. I have no information to give you. What could I possibly tell you?" She shook her head and began to walk away, but he had her arm in a steely grip again in moments.

"I need you, please." Peter said quietly. "It could mean my life. Even if you don't have the answers, will you talk to me?"

Claire stared at him for a long time. She wanted to believe he was lying, but there was something stark and honest in his eyes. "I don't know…"  
  


Peter sighed. "Look, my mum has a flat near here. Would you go stay with her and then talk to me tomorrow?" 

Claire considered what he asked of her. He didn't indicate that he would be with her, so perhaps she'd be safe enough without him around. And she could learn quite a bit from his mother. Plus, she needed a place to stay. She couldn't very well sleep on a street corner and she'd rushed out without her purse. What if this new place didn't even take her money? She was well and truly stuck.

Her decision made, she nodded slowly. "All right. Will you be staying as well?"

The frantic look entered his eyes again. "I c—cant. You can't understand right now but….she thinks I'm dead." 

"She thinks what?" This was getting more bizarre and unbelievable by the minute. "What am I supposed to tell her? That her dead son visited me in a vision and told me to go there?"

Peter contemplated her words for some time. "I'll write her a note, from my cousin Malcolm. Just tell her Mac told you to go to her." 

He pulled out a grubby piece of parchment and a quill. Was that really a quill? Claire's mouth fell open and didn't close until Peter handed her the parchment. "I'll lead you to her flat. Please don't tell her you spoke to me. It's important…it means my life. I'll come to collect you in the morning and we can go somewhere to talk it out."

She nodded slowly, vowing to speak with the woman about her son despite what she said. How horrible it must be for a mother to believe her son was dead. Claire's thoughts turned to her own children…where were they and were they safe? Would she get home to them soon or might she never see them again?

"All right, Peter You have one more chance, but don't ruin it. You won't get another one and I don't like being deceived."

~*~

" 'Owe're you doing, mate. Is the little tyke still asleep?" 

James and Hagrid had been keeping a steady pace through the tunnels and had been mostly silent. James didn't know what Hagrid was thinking but his thoughts were a mix of joy and confusion, wariness and watchfulness. Nervousness set every nerve ending tingling with…well he didn't even know if the prevailing feeling was nerves or excitement.

"Yeah, he's sound asleep. They'll sleep through anything." James glanced at his son and had to smile. Soon his children would be together and he could introduce Adam and Amanda to his world. Or the world that it had become in his absence.

"That's good." Hagrid's comforting burr broke into his thoughts. "I'm going ta bring you to the old cottage. Remember it from the Order…the old days?" Hagrid looked guiltily down. "They're sleepin'. They won't have heard will they?"

"Don't worry, Hagrid and yes I know the place. That will be good. I'd rather not stay in the castle and I imagine your place isn't big enough for all of us." James had to smile, remembering the cramped quarters of the groundskeeper's hut.

"Nah it's not." Hagrid's chuckle warmed James' heart. How he had missed the little things. "And I can get Professor Dumbledore ta see ya tonight then you can rest an' see Harry in the morning."

James nodded, disappointed. He knew what the other man said was the smartest thing, but he wanted to see Harry. Now. 

He had to make sure that his son was all right. The bloody books had painted such a terrible picture of his son's life. The healing had to begin soon for Harry. The love had to heal him.

"Hagrid? How bad was it for Harry? I…I have a feeling things were terrible and I need to know." It pained him to have to ask the question. He should have been around to protect his son. Even though James knew he had no control over what had happened, guilt pounded into him at the realization that he had abandoned his child to a cold world.  
  


The bushy head of the man who walked in front of James nodded. "It was bad. Them Muggle relatives are useless. Worse'n useless. It don't matter, anymore though. You're here now and you're what he needs. He always was hungerin' for his mum and dad."

So many questions swirled through James' head. "Why them? I just don't understand…why them?"  
  


Hagrid's sigh nearly shook the walls. "You'll need to ask Professor Dumbledore about that, James. I didn't like it at the time and I don't like it now, but it wasn't my decision ta make."

"I know." James placed a hand on the much larger man's shoulder.

Hagrid cleared his throat. "All right then. You go up first an' I'll follow. Then follow me out of the castle. Do you remember where the cottage is in case I have to stop?"

"I'll find it." James was resolute. He'd get there. "Are you going directly to the headmaster or are you coming with me?"

"I'm going with you. I'll get the tykes settled and come back. An' I'll bring some food. You an' the tykes might get hungry. Tykes like good food around when they're out o' their element."

Their voices lowered as they hurried nearly soundlessly to the front door of the castle. Soon they were slipping into the evening. James didn't even have time to adjust to the fact that he was back at the playground of his youth.

Hagrid's long legs ate up the ground and James hurried along to keep pace.

Soon, they were at an area that shimmered with magic. Hagrid intoned a password and a door swung open. 


	10. Reunion

Title: Fate's Manipulation(10/??)  
  
Author: CelticFlame  
  
Author Email:   
  
Category: Solid drama, some angst, some romance  
  
Keywords: James, Lily, return, Harry, Sirius  
  
Rating: PG13-Adult themes and emotions.  
  
Spoilers: Through POA  
  
Summary: What REALLY happened to Lily and James that fateful night? Two lost souls are trying to make their way back to Hogwarts and Harry Potter, but many obstacles stand in their way. Will the Potters get their happily ever after or is this just a cruel manipulation of fate?  
  
Author Notes: Okay, here it is, chapter 10. No more cliffhangers, the big reunion is found within! I really hope you like it! Replies are more cherished than ever, and even more importantly, your feedback will feed my muse. Padfoot has been performing incredibly hard, helping me to write four chapters of fanfic in two weeks and he definitely deserves some extra muse treats.  
  
If you'd like to chat or would like a sneak peek at chapters in progress or any of my other stories, please join my mailing list at   
  
Thanks so much for reading :)I hope to have another chapter out in a month or so.  
  
Bree (and Padfoot the muse!)  
  
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and  
  
owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to  
  
Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros.,  
  
Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is  
  
intended.  
  
I only own Claire, Amanda and Adam Potter and the plot found herein.  
  
James faltered just a little as the cottage appeared. Though he couldn't explain or describe it, he knew deep inside that something monumental was going to happen. "Wait a second, Hagrid," he started to say. He was too late though as the door opened and he was momentarily blinded by bright light that flowed from within the room. He took an involuntary step back. Hagrid hadn't said in as many words that the cottage would be empty, but he had assumed...they had assumed...  
  
Suddenly, Hagrid transferred Amanda into his arms and stood in front of James, protecting him from whatever was within the cottage. James stumbled slightly at the added burden of his daughter, who awoke suddenly. As Amanda rubbed her eyes, James set her to her feet, smiling through his nerves as his little girl reached for his hand. He felt uncertain, but he had no right to pass his nervousness on to his daughter.  
  
"Oy. What is this..." Hagrid's voice trailed off and he rocked back on his feet as if in shock or horror. James couldn't see around the large man, but the shock that raced through Hagrid alarmed him. Icy cold dread ran through him and he held his children closer.  
  
"Amanda, get behind me if need be."  
  
His little girl nodded and clutched his hand, a hand that had become slick with nervous sweat.  
  
Hagrid seemed to stand framed in the light for hours, though James knew only seconds had passed. "As I leave and breathe. I never thought I'd see the day..."  
  
A high-pitched sound escaped from the giant...was that a nearly hysterical giggle? James dearly wanted to peer around his protector but knew he was safer behind someone with magic.  
  
"Yes, Hagrid. What you see is true."  
  
Was that Dumbledore's calming tone? Surely it had to be safe if Dumbledore sounded so calm...  
  
James edged to the side slowly, spotting his former headmaster who stood in the doorway defensively, wand at the ready. Some things never change. Hagrid's gaze was riveted into a bed in the far corner of the cottage, but James couldn't see what was there.  
  
"You don't understand." Hagrid laughed again and a tremor wracked his body. "You don't understand what I found tonight."  
  
Hagrid fell silent again, appearing to stare in shock at whatever was in the room. James could sense that there were quite a few people inside, but nobody else spoke. It was as if they were all expecting Dumbledore to speak again before greeting Hagrid.  
  
Bizarre.  
  
James spared a few moments to consider what had Hagrid so upset before he turned to Amanda. His leadership and fatherhood roles rose up within him and he knew he couldn't stand by and wait for Hagrid to explain what was happening inside the cottage or to announce them to whoever was inside. "You and your brother stay right here," he whispered as he transferred the sleepy boy into his sister's arms. He hesitated a few moments before handing Amanda his wand. "I need to find out what's going on here. I have the distinct feeling that you know how to work this, Amanda. Use it only if you have to." When his little girl nodded and set her jaw in a determined manner, James stepped aside and around Hagrid.  
  
James met Dumbledore's eyes first, the welcoming look turning to shock and then something else, a sheen covering the older man's gaze and glistening in the depths of his wise blue eyes.  
  
"Is it really you?" His former headmaster started to reach out to touch him, then abruptly stepped away and James was able to see into the cottage and the bed. The woman and teenager sitting on it looked at him in shock and the ground seemed to open up under him. James rocked back on his heels as recognition filled him.  
  
"Lily?" The woman holding the boy had to be? But how... And the boy? Could it be his son? "Harry?" James' voice finally broke as he rushed into the cottage. He dimly heard the joyous chorus of other voices calling his name, but he couldn't spare them a moment.  
  
He skidded to a stop inches before gathering them close. He had to be sure... What if... What if they didn't know him or want him or... Tears poured down his face.  
  
"Lily? Is it really you?" He reached out a trembling hand to her, brushing a finger slowly over the softness of her cheek. Everything about her screamed out to him that this was his wife, but he had to be sure.  
  
Tears brimmed in her green eyes as she drank him in. "Yes," she finally managed. They held each other's gazes wordlessly before she stood, arms open. "You're here, my darling! He's back, Harry. We did it!"  
  
Something elemental hit James with enough force to knock him to his knees when they touched again. Magic flowed through him unbidden and he was so overwhelmed that all he could do was sob into her hair, holding her to him with an elemental fierceness that might have hurt her, had she not been so involved in the moment.  
  
Lily finally pulled away slightly to cup his cheek before her lips found his and they exchanged a tender kiss. There would be time to address baser needs later, James knew, as he shared the tender embrace with his wife.  
  
Lily gently moved her lips from his and motioned to the bed and the sobbing boy who was looking up at him with something akin to hero worship. James knelt in front of the boy...Harry...and placed a hand on his knee. He had so much to say...there just weren't words.  
  
"Harry...my son! I..."  
  
"I know, dad." Harry tackled him in a tight embrace and father and son tumbled to the ground. Lily wrapped her arms around them and they all sobbed together, finally united.  
  
Lily could barely make herself understand that the handsome man in her arms was her beloved husband. Time had changed him but the eyes, the smile were the same. And his kiss... Awareness hit Lily someplace deep inside her soul. Her body and her heart would never forget her husband. She sank to the ground as James and Harry embraced, and wrapped her arms around them. She had her family back. She could face anything now.  
  
Sirius leaned against Remus as the reunion happened mere feet away. James! He had barely recognized his friend as he stepped around Hagrid. The years had not been unkind to James but he hardly looked like their old friend. He looked older but still had this air of innocence around him, as if he'd been someplace where the events hadn't touched him.  
  
Where had he been? How had he and Hagrid found each other?  
  
The question rattled around Sirius' brain. The reunion almost seemed too personal, too intimate for any of them to be watching. He glanced over and saw that Dumbledore and McGonagall were looking toward Hagrid and he knew Remus was studiously studying the charmed ceiling of the cottage.  
  
Sirius shifted restlessly before Remus' hand closed over his with surprising strength. "Don't," Remus whispered a warning in his ear, "Let them have their time, Sirius."  
  
Amanda was getting cranky. She was tired and cold and even a little hungry. She wondered if she was dreaming. What other explanation was there for her favorite book characters to show up and her dad to think it was normal? But why was she so cold, then? Had daddy put the air conditioning on again?  
  
Her dad was a romantic dreamer but he was never irresponsible. She could just hear her mother telling her father that he was indulgent but never irresponsible. Amanda didn't know how to explain any of this—the walks all over the place, her dad's nerves when he was never nervous or scared, he was her dad after all! She didn't like it at all that he'd been like that. If her dad wasn't comfortable, what did that mean for the rest of them? Were they even safe if daddy wasn't relaxed and at ease?  
  
She heard her dad say the names of Lily and Harry and it sounded like there was some sort of scene happening there. She didn't want anyone to be having a scene, not when she and mostly asleep Adam were outside on the grass and freezing. She fought back tears and shook her brother gently into full wakefulness. He was quite heavy and she couldn't hold him any longer.  
  
"Come on, Adam." Amanda wanted some answers but most of all, she wanted her daddy. She couldn't stop the sniffles and tears that began to leak from her eyes as she led her brother past the giant and into the room. The tears started falling harder when she saw her dad hugging a woman and a boy. She didn't know where her mom was, and her dad...she needed her daddy.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
Harry was totally overwhelmed. Just as he had adjusted to his mother being alive, there had been that strange magic thing that had hurt them both and then Hagrid had brought his dad back. His dad! His mom and dad were alive! He had his real family here at long last! It seemed like a dream but a surreal feeling told him it was definitely real life. He had so much to say, but every time he opened his mouth, words came tumbling out and he finally settled for repeating that he loved his parents over and over again. Their embraces felt comfortable and so right. For the first time in his life, Harry felt cared and cherished by family. And safe. How that his parents were here, maybe he didn't have to be the boy who lived anymore. Maybe they could protect him now.  
  
His father and mother were holding him, crying, when a girl's voice called for her father. Harry looked up, angry at her, at anyone, for breaking up this moment. His heart soared and he felt complete for the first time in his life and some kid had to ruin that.  
  
Daddy?  
  
Harry looked over at the girl. She was wearing a stretchy pant and top set that had frogs and princesses on it and she looked tired and dirty and scared. She held the hand of a little boy who had teddy bears on his pants and top and who looked as confused and bewildered as the little girl looked scared. He wanted to be mad, but he couldn't help but to identify with the girl, even if he was resentful that she had ruined this moment.  
  
James heard his daughter's voice and his head snapped up. The children! Claire? Awareness and guilt came back to him and he reluctantly pulled away from Harry and Lily to stand and approach Amanda.  
  
"It's all right, darling." James smoothed her hair down with shaking hands. "It's been a long and confusing night, hasn't it, love? We need to get you and your brother fed and taken care of and..." He exhaled slowly, at a loss for what to do next.  
  
"James?"  
  
That voice, tentative but still reassuring. James turned around and met the eyes of Remus Lupin. "Oh mate," his voice broke again as he crushed Remus in a hug. "So bloody long..." He hugged his friend almost desperately, trying to separate his past from the information filtered through the books.  
  
Remus rubbed slow circles on James' back. "I know, Prongs. We have a lot of catching up to do, but right now these two need some food. Sirius and I—"  
  
"Sirius?" James' joyous cry was swallowed up when the other man grabbed him in a bear hug.  
  
"Yes, Sirius," Remus tried again gently. "James, these children look exhausted and with everything that is going on..."  
  
James tried to bring his mind back to the task at hand, stroking Adam's hair with one hand and squeezing Amanda's hand with the other.  
  
"We have a small room," the typically no-nonsense tone of his former head of house had gentled with emotion. "They need their rest..." She gave him a tumultuous smile and it was then that James realized that Professor McGonagall was crying. Her hand brushed over his shoulder, as if she was testing his corporeal form. "Welcome home, Mr. Potter. You've been missed."  
  
There was simply too much going on. James' emotions were on overload. He nodded slowly and dug down deep to find a reservoir of calmness that he could convey to his children...his younger children, he reminded himself.  
  
James knelt in front of Amanda and Adam. The little boy was pressed tightly to his sister's side and Amanda looked as overwhelmed as he felt. "Amanda, would you go with Professor McGonagall? You need to get some sleep, sweetheart. I'll just be out here. I won't be very far at all."  
  
Amanda seemed to be considering this for a moment, wavering as the exhaustion that she wore on her face obviously worked on her last strength. "Okay, daddy, but please don't leave. I'm scared. Mommy isn't here and we've been all over, and..." She clung to him, long hiccupping sobs and heaving breaths wracking her body. Adam clung to her, whispered words of love coming from his little lips.  
  
James held both of his children tightly. "I'll be here, sweetheart." He stood, meeting his former professor's eyes, reassured by the gentleness and care that he saw there. "Please stay with them. It's been a hell of a night." He watched her lead the children into a closet that magically expanded to a bedroom then found his way to a chair, sinking into it and running a hand through his hair.  
  
"I...what the bloody hell is going on?" He looked around the room, focusing first on Dumbledore and Hagrid deep in what appeared to be an intense conversation then to Remus and Sirius who stood uncertainly, and finally smiling slightly at the confused joy that was all over Harry and Lily's faces.  
  
"I could ask you the same." His former headmaster handed him a small glass. "Drink up, James. Firewhiskey. It should help. We have time for questions later."  
  
James tossed the drink back in a gulp and closed his eyes for a moment before returning to Harry and Lily. They had settled back on bed and were holding hands tightly. "I can't believe I'm here....with the both of you."  
  
"James, who was that little girl?"  
  
He knew someone would ask but he hadn't thought his wife would have been the first.  
  
"The girl, Amanda, is my daughter. Her brother's name is Adam. Somehow we all found ourselves here."  
  
So many questions, Lily thought. This one appeared to be one of the hardest of all. Daughter. James had a daughter and another son. Lily considered this for a minute or two. He hadn't remembered who he was, just like she hadn't. Instead of finding himself in her circumstances, he had moved on and formed a family with another woman.  
  
The physical ache that rushed through Lily was as strong as the worst stomach cramps. So this is what heartbreak feels like. Images ran through her mind unbidden. James and some faceless woman in an intimate embrace. James as her husband in every way. Some faceless lucky woman having her husband when he'd been wrenched away from his real wife and son after a few precious years. It wasn't fair!  
  
"Daughter," Lily repeated, hating the biting edge in her tone, but she couldn't stop the words that flowed out of her or the bitterness associated with them. She slowly pulled her hand away and stood, facing her husband. "And I presume there is a mother? Where is she, James. Where is your other wife?"  
  
Other wife? Other kids? He had to make it through life fighting Voldemort and living in absolutely horrible conditions while his father was making another family and having other kids, another son? Harry gave his father an angry look. How could his dad have cheated on his mum like that?  
  
"How come they got you and I didn't? Didn't you love me enough to find me and mum? Why did you make another family?" Deep down inside, Harry knew that his father wasn't the type of man to run away from his family, but none of that mattered now. He had dreamed of this reunion for so long and it was all messed up. And it was that little girl's fault.  
  
The bitterness and anger from Harry and Lily were unexpected and cut James to the quick. "It wasn't like that, Harry. I couldn't get to you. I couldn't get back. I tried...Lily, Harry, I tried so bloody hard. And then the kids came to me with these books and... Great Merlin, don't you think I would have been here if I could have? Don't you both know that I love you, that I ached for you, that I stopped living?"  
  
"Apparently not," Lily's lips were pressed into a tight line. "You created another family with someone else."  
  
"It's not like that, Lil!"  
  
She put up her hand. "Please, James. This has been an exhausting day. I need a little air." She turned to Hagrid. "Would you escort me on a walk around the grounds? I need to clear my head for a few moments. I'll be perfectly safe with you."  
  
Hagrid shot James a sympathetic look, but nodded his head. "O'course, Lily." He crossed the room to muss Harry's hair and gave the boy a big smile. "Chin up, Harry. You got your mum and da back an' that's the most important thing."  
  
Harry gave Hagrid a grateful look before nodding. "Thanks."  
  
"Come on, we're almost back to where the cottage was." Ron, Hermione and Ginny had run at nearly top speed since seeing Peter in Hogsmeade. Fortunately, the basket of chocolates for Lily was still intact and even more fortunately, Peter hadn't noticed them or given chase.  
  
They had debated for a few moments until Hermione had convinced them that they had to tell the headmaster about Peter right away, even if they were intruding on Harry and his mother. They'd understand. For all they knew, Peter might be after her and there was no way they would allow Mrs. Potter to be taken away from their best friend again.  
  
"So, where is it?" Ron scanned the grounds in disgust. "Bloody magic cottages, never appearing when you want them to."  
  
Ginny and Hermione shared a brief smile and walked together to the slight shimmer in the night air. "Right here, Ron, and if I'm correct, the door should be about here." Hermione rooted around before knocking three times on the door. When there was no answer, she palpated the shimmer carefully.  
  
"Hermione, are you sure that's it?" Ginny hated to ask, but she knew that time was of the essence.  
  
Her friend rolled her eyes but nodded when Ginny stepped up and knocked on the shimmer herself.  
  
"Headmaster Dumbledore? Ron and Hermione are here with me. Something perfectly dreadful has happened and we need to speak to you right now."  
  
The door opened, light spilling over the dark grass. "C'mon in then." Ginny was pulled in by Hagrid, and her brother and Hermione followed.  
  
"I thought I might be seein' you soon." Hagrid looked very serious. "Yeh didn't tell anyone yeh saw me, did yeh?"  
  
All three children shook their heads. Was this what everyone thought they had to share?  
  
"No Hagrid. You're not dreadful." Hermione managed a smile.  
  
"Though you and that man were a little strange," Ron added.  
  
"It was much worse," Ginny added, before turning to Hermione who appeared to be the appointed spokeswoman.  
  
"Hagrid, Professor Dumbledore, we saw Peter Pettigrew in Hogsmeade." 


End file.
